LOS LUNAS, N.M. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team took on No. 4 nationally ranked West Texas A&M University on Saturday for day two of the South Central Regional Crossover tournament and wound up falling to the Lady Buffs by a score of 15-0.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UCCS 0, #4 WTAMU 15 (5 Innings)
Records: UCCS (1-2, 0-0 RMAC), WTAMU (3-0, 0-0 LSC)
Location: Los Lunas Sports Complex – Field 2 | Los Lunas, N.M.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions fall to 0-7 all-time against West Texas A&M.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Lady Buffs wasted little time getting their offense started in the top of the first frame as an RBI double from Madison Johnson and a two-RBI single by Heaven Moreno sent the Mountain Lions into an early 3-0 hole.
- West Texas A&M put together another rally in their half of the second inning with a pair of singles and a walk leading to a bases-loaded situation with two outs in the frame and Diana Murtha at the dish for the Lady Buffs. UCCS starting pitcher Caydee Farnworth would issue a walk to Murtha to bring in a run and push the deficit to 4-0 but managed to get the next batter to roll into a fielder's choice to end the inning with limited damage done.
- The top of the third inning saw the Lady Buffs continue to find success on the offensive side as they benefitted from a pair of UCCS defensive errors while also stringing together three hits, two walks, and two hit batters in the frame to plate a total of six runs and extend their advantage to 10-0.
- West Texas A&M resumed their offensive barrage in the fourth and fifth innings as they added five more runs to their tally. In addition, the UCCS offensive unit found difficulty in solving WTAMU pitchers Heidi Vortherms (3.0 IP, 0 ER) and Ashley Mandell (2.0 IP, 0 ER) as they combined to toss five shutout innings to secure the 15-0 run-rule win for the Lady Buffs.
STATS FROM THE GAME
- The Mountain Lions managed just three hits in the ballgame against WTAMU pitching, with Hailey Busshart, Gianna Pancost, and Izzy Giroux tallying one apiece. Busshart logged the lone extra-base hit of the morning for UCCS with a double in the second inning.
- Inside the circle, Farnworth drew the start and allowed ten runs (eight earned) across 2.2 innings pitched. Sophomore Ella Ebert (1.1 IP, 4 ER) and junior Mackenzie Rutkoff (1.0 IP, 1 ER) followed Farnworth out of the bullpen allowing a combined five earned runs over the final 2.1 innings of the ballgame.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Busshart was a bright spot on Saturday for the Mountain Lions as she recorded an extra-base hit for the third straight game to begin the season. She now owns a .571 batting average with two home runs, one double, and five RBIs across the first three games of the campaign.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will conclude the South Central Regional Crossover tournament tomorrow morning with a 9 a.m. matchup against Simon Fraser University that will take place on Field 2 at the Los Lunas Sports Complex.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – GoMountainLions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
