DENVER, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team opened a four-game conference series against Metropolitan State University Denver on Friday afternoon with a pair of setbacks as the Roadrunners earned a 7-0 win in game one before grabbing a 5-3, walk-off win in game two.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 0, MSUD 7 | Game 2: UCCS 3, MSUD 5
Records: UCCS (11-20, 8-14 RMAC), MSUD (27-7, 20-2 RMAC)
Location: MSUD Assembly Athletic Complex | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS moves to 21-41 all-time against the Roadrunners.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- UCCS' Autumn Kunze and MSUD's Jenna Medhus found themselves engaged in a pitcher's duel in the opening game of the series as they matched each other with zeroes on the scoreboard through the first four innings of play. Both pitchers were dominant in the early going with Kunze limiting the Roadrunners to just two hits over the first four innings and Medhus keeping the Mountain Lions to just three total baserunners off two walks and a hit.
- After the Mountain Lions stranded a runner at third base in the visiting half of the fifth inning, MSU Denver broke through to snap the scoreless tie in their half of the frame with pinch-hitter Genevieve Bower blooping a two-RBI single to center field to give the Roadrunners a 2-0 advantage.
- In the top of the sixth inning, UCCS threatened to get one of the runs back as Jacqueline Berkowitz beat out an infield single and went on to steal second before advancing to third base when the ball got away from the defense on the attempt. The Mountain Lions would leave Berkowitz at third base, however, as MSU Denver relief pitcher Natalie Romero struck out Izzy Giroux to end the inning.
- The Roadrunners broke the game open in the home half of the sixth frame as they strung together six hits in the inning to bring five runs across the plate and extend their lead to 7-0. Romero would allow just a walk to Jennavieve Goldsworth in the top of the seventh inning to finish off the series-opening win for MSU Denver.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lion's offensive woes continued in the first game of their series against the Roadrunners as they mustered just three hits, with Berkowitz, Goldsworth, and Katelyn Kilgore each recording one.
- UCCS also drew three walks in the ballgame with Berkowitz, Goldsworth, and Alyssa Gutierrez each being issued one free pass.
- On the basepaths, UCCS went 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts as Laynee Case swiped her fourth bag of the season and Berkowitz stole her third base of the campaign.
- Despite the great start to the game, Kunze's final line saw her allow six earned runs in five innings pitched while being saddled with her seventh loss of the season. Kailey Bond pitched the final frame of the ballgame in relief of Kunze, allowing one earned run and two hits across her one inning of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Roadrunners secured an early lead in game two of Friday's doubleheader as Miah Hartvigsen lined an RBI single into left field that gave MSU Denver a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.
- Facing the one-run deficit, UCCS struggled on the offensive side of the ball against MSUD pitcher Maddy Wilson to begin the ballgame as they were only able to record one hit and no runs across the first four innings of the ballgame.
- Following a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning from Hartvigsen that extended MSU Denver's lead to 2-0, the Mountain Lions finally broke through against Wilson to get on the scoreboard in the visitor half of the fifth inning with Kelsey Bell cracking her first home run of the season. The solo home run from Bell brought UCCS back to within just one run at a score of 2-1.
- The Roadrunners would add a run to their lead in the bottom half of the fifth frame, but UCCS battled back once again in the top of the sixth inning as they went on to plate a pair of runs to draw the game even at three. The Mountain Lions saw their first two batters in the inning reach base with Gutierrez hitting a single through the right side before Berkowitz reached on a two-base error that put runners on second and third with nobody out. With one out in the inning, pinch-hitter Alyssa Haberstroh lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that cashed in one run before a line-drive single up the middle by Lexi Wagner brought home the tying run in a 3-3 ballgame.
- Following five solid innings inside the circle from Caydee Farnworth to start the game, UCCS turned the ball over to Mackenzie Rutkoff in the bottom of the sixth frame with a hit-by-pitch, error, and walk resulting in a bases-loaded situation with just one out in the inning. Rutkoff would manage to tightrope out of the inning, getting a pair of ground balls to keep the score tied at three.
- After UCCS went scoreless in the top of the seventh frame, MSU Denver stepped to the plate in the bottom half of the inning with a chance to walk off and they delivered with Hartvigsen launching a two-run home run over the left field fence to finish off a 5-3 win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- UCCS tallied six hits in the second game of the day, with two of them coming from Gutierrez in the leadoff spot and Wagner, Bell, Goldsworth, and Hailey Busshart each recording one hit.
- Bell recorded the lone extra-base hit of the afternoon for UCCS with her home run in the fifth inning.
- Farnworth had a strong outing inside the circle for UCCS, pitching five innings and allowing just three runs (one earned) with one strikeout. Rutkoff suffered her third loss of the season as she allowed a pair of earned runs across 1.1 innings pitched.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- In game two of today's doubleheader, Gutierrez recorded her fifth multi-hit game of the season, which ranks tied for the third most on the team.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close their four-game series against the Roadrunners tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m. from the Assembly Athletic Complex.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
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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.
