DURANGO, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team went quietly on the offensive end on Thursday afternoon, dropping the first two games of their four-game set against Fort Lewis College by final scores of 4-1 and 9-1.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 1, FLC 4 | Final Game Two: UCCS 1, FLC 9 (six innings)
Records: UCCS (11-26, 8-20 RMAC), FLC (17-18, 15-13 RMAC)
Location: FLC Aspen Field | Durango, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions fall to 44-43 all-time against the Skyhawks.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- After UCCS starting pitcher Autumn Kunze recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the first inning on a strikeout and a pop-up, Fort Lewis stacked back-to-back hits with an RBI single from Catheryn Rodman giving the Skyhawks a 1-0 lead.
- In the bottom of the second inning, an error at shortstop by the Mountain Lions would come back to cost the team an unearned run as Cam Daugherty cashed in the base runner with an RBI double that extended the Skyhawk lead to 2-0.
- The Mountain Lions would cut the lead in half in the top of the third inning, with a double from Maddie Unrein setting the stage for an RBI single off the bat of clean-up hitter Courtnie Heller that made it a 2-1 ballgame.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Skyhawks plated two more two-out runs on another run-scoring single from Rodman, stretching their lead to 4-1. UCCS was unable to muster any offense over the final two innings of the game as Fort Lewis claimed a series-opening win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Each team recorded six hits in the series-opener, but the Mountain Lions went just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position in the defeat.
- Six different Mountain Lions recorded one hit in the game, including Morgan Hernandez-Belew, Unrein, Heller, Lexi Wagner, Cassidy Hubner, and Brianna Jennings. Unrein tallied the only extra-base hit of the contest for UCCS with her double in the third inning.
- Kunze (4-4) pitched six solid innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and no walks while striking out two hitters.
- Rodman's bat turned out to be the difference in the ballgame as she posted a 2-for-3 batting line and drove in three of the Skyhawks four runs.
- Amiee Shanks had an excellent outing for the Skyhawks inside the circle, pitching seven complete innings while allowing just six hits and one earned run. She also struck out four Mountain Lion batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- For a second consecutive game, it was Fort Lewis that got on the board first in the bottom of the opening frame as Kayla Stone come through with a two-out, bases loaded double that brought home three runs and gave the Skyhawks an early 3-0 advantage.
- The Mountain Lions responded with a rally of their own in the top half of the second inning as Molly Sherwood led off the frame with a single to left field before Peyton Reisman doubled into the gap to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Kelsey Bell would bring home a run with a sacrifice fly to left field, but a subsequent pop-up and strikeout ended the threat with just the one run scoring and the Mountain Lions still trailing, 3-1.
- The Skyhawks added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as they manufactured a run to make it a 4-1 ballgame. Sabrina Carillo led off the inning with a walk and was pinch-run for by Hannah Rutherford, who immediately stole second and third upon entering the game before being brought in to score on a sacrifice fly from Daugherty.
- A walk, an error, and three hits allowed by the Mountain Lions in the bottom of the fifth inning led to four more runs being scored by Fort Lewis as they stretched their lead to 8-1. A solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning from FLC's Izzy Giroux put a cap on the ballgame with the Skyhawks finishing off a six-inning run-rule win by a score of 9-1.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions tallied just four hits in the second game of the doubleheader compared to seven for the Skyhawks.
- Sherwood was a bright spot for the UCCS offense, reaching base in each of her three plate appearances with two singles and a walk.
- Redshirt senior Braelyne Crenshaw (2-12) endured a tough start inside the circle, allowing seven earned runs across four innings pitched with five strikeouts.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Rutkoff tossed the final inning of the game, allowing two hits and two earned runs during her outing.
- Stone provided much of the offense for Fort Lewis in the second game of the day, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and six RBIs.
- Caydee Farnworth started on the rubber for the Skyhawks and managed to hold the Mountain Lions to just one earned run despite allowing four hits, five walks and one hit batter through six innings pitched.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Despite taking the loss in game one of the doubleheader, Kunze tossed the second complete game of her collegiate career and currently leads the Mountain Lions with a 4.28 ERA and four wins.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will close out their series against the Skyhawks tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. from Aspen Field in Durango, Colo.
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.
