SPEARFISH, S.D. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team opened their final series of the regular season with a pair of setbacks against Black Hills State University as the Yellow Jackets earned a 2-1 victory in the first game of the twin bill and a 9-2 win in game two.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 1, BHSU 2 | Final Game Two: UCCS 2, BHSU 9
Records: UCCS (13-36, 10-30 RMAC), BHSU (7-35, 7-35 RMAC)
Location: Yellow Jacket Field | Spearfish, S.D.
All-Time Series: UCCS falls to 30-8 all-time against the Yellow Jackets.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The first four innings of the series-opening game saw very little action as both starting pitchers combined to limit the total offense to just two hits and one walk during that span. Unfortunately for the Mountain Lions, the one hit for Black Hills State was a solo home run in the second inning by Gianna Haley that gave the Yellow Jackets a one run lead.
- With the score still at 1-0 in favor of BHSU in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Yellow Jackets capitalized on a one-out error at shortstop that allowed Adreanna Lance to reach base with one out in the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved Lance to second base, Kayla Lee came through with a two-out RBI single to left field that extended the Black Hills State advantage to 2-0.
- A solo home run from Courtnie Heller would get the Mountain Lions on the board with one out in the top of the seventh inning, but BHSU pitcher Shayla Tuschen managed to retire the final two UCCS hitters to finish off a complete game victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions only managed to record two hits in the ballgame, with Kelsey Bell hitting a single in the third inning and Heller hitting a home run in the seventh inning.
- Despite the lack of offense, redshirt senior Braelyne Crenshaw pitched exceptionally well for the Mountain Lions as she tossed six innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) with five strikeouts.
- Tuschen was equally as impressive on the Black Hills State side, throwing a complete seven innings while allowing just three baserunners and one earned run with five strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions were stung by a big inning to start the second game of the afternoon as Black Hills State put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning against UCCS starting pitcher Lexi Rayburn. BHSU's Sydney Klein brought home the first run of the inning with an RBI fielder's choice before Taylor Klein added another with an RBI single to right field. Gianna Haley then punctuated the inning with a three-run home run, her second of the day, that gave her team the 5-0 lead.
- With Peyton Reisman on second base after a single and a wild pitch, freshman Molly Sherwood laced a single up the middle that cut the Mountain Lion's deficit to 5-1 in the top of the second inning.
- UCCS continued to cut into the Yellow Jacket's lead in the top of the third inning as Maddie Unrein unleashed a two-out double to left center field that brought Solana Martinez across the plate and reduced the deficit to three runs, 5-2.
- The Mountain Lion offense would go quietly for the remainder of the game, however, as they managed just two hits over the final four innings of action while the Yellow Jackets tacked on insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings to secure a 9-2 win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- UCCS recorded six hits in the second game of the day, with Martinez and Sherwood each posting multi-hit games.
- The Mountain Lions also drew four walks, with two coming from Heller and one each by Wagner and Hernandez-Belew.
- Rayburn made the start inside the circle for UCCS, pitching two innings and allowing four hits, four walks, and six earned runs during her outing to take the loss.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Rutkoff finished the game on the rubber for the Mountain Lions as she pitched four innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits.
- Kailey Bond earned her first win of the season as the starting pitcher for Black Hills State, tossing seven complete innings and allowing just two earned runs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Heller's home run in the first game was her sixth of the season and 13th of her career.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close out the series and the season tomorrow with a doubleheader against the Yellow Jackets starting at 11 a.m.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – GoMountainLions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
