DENVER, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team dropped the final two games of their series against Regis University on Friday, with the Rangers picking up a 9-0 win in game one followed by a 7-4 victory in game two to earn a series win.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 0, RU 9 (5 innings) | Game 2: UCCS 4, RU 7
Records: UCCS (12-25, 9-19 RMAC), RU (22-14, 18-8 RMAC)
Location: Regis Softball Field | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions fall to 50-94 all-time against the Rangers.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions quickly found themselves in a hole to begin the third game of their series against Regis as the Rangers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with Olivia Wick drawing a leadoff walk and moving around the bases on a sacrifice bunt and an error at third base by Gianna Pancost.
- Regis' offense continued to roll in the coming innings as they scored two runs in the second and third innings before putting up a four-spot in their half of the fourth inning to take a 9-0 lead after four full frames.
- On the offensive end, UCCS was stymied by Rangers' starting pitcher Kylie Harpman, who held the Mountain Lions to just one hit across five scoreless innings to lock down a 9-0, run-rule win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Alyssa Gutierrez recorded the lone hit of ballgame for UCCS with a single in the top of the third inning.
- UCCS was shaky on the defensive side of the ball, committing a season-high five errors in the game.
- Kailey Bond was charged with her sixth loss of the season after surrendering seven runs (five earned) across three innings pitched. Mackenzie Rutkoff tossed the final inning of the game for UCCS, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- After UCCS starting pitcher Autumn Kunze put a pair of zeroes on the scoreboard to begin final game of the series, the Mountain Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top half of the third frame on an RBI single from Jacqueline Berkowitz. UCCS had potential to add an even more significant number to the scoreboard in the frame as they loaded the bases with just one out in the inning, but back-to-back groundouts by Izzy Giroux and Lexi Wagner ended the inning with just the one run scoring.
- The advantage was short-lived for the Mountain Lions however, as it took just two batters in the bottom half of the third inning for the Rangers to flip the lead in their favor, 2-1. Wick led off the frame with an infield single, and the following batter, Miaa Campos squared around to put down a sacrifice bunt. The bunt was laid down successfully, but Giroux picked up the ball and fired wildly to second base and the ball rolled all the way to the center field wall, allowing both runners to come across to score. The Rangers would go on to add two more runs in the inning with an RBI double by Sydney Young and an RBI single by Abby Larsen making it a 4-1 ballgame after three complete innings.
- Jennavieve Goldsworth sparked a run-scoring rally in the top of the fourth inning that helped the Mountain Lions cut into their newfound deficit as she led off the frame with a double and after being moved to third base on a ground ball by Katelyn Kilgore, came in to score on a wild pitch. UCCS added one more run in the inning with Laynee Case drawing a walk and moving up to second base on an obstruction call before being brought in to score on an RBI single by Maddie Unrein that made it a 4-3 game.
- After the Mountain Lions stranded runners at second and third base in the top of the fifth inning, Regis was gifted a run in the bottom half of the frame with a pair of two-out error by Case at shortstop extending the inning and leading to a pair of runs for the Rangers.
- Now holding a 6-3 lead, the Rangers added another run in the bottom half of the sixth inning as Williams hit a double to left field but wound up scoring on an errant throw by Wagner in left field.
- Trailing by four runs in the top of the seventh inning, UCCS started the frame on a promising note with Pancost opening the inning with a triple to right field and immediately coming in to score on an RBI single by Giroux that cut the deficit to 7-4. The rally would stop there with Wagner hitting into a double play for the first two outs of the inning and Goldsworth flying out to left field to end the ballgame.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- After recording just one hit in the first game of the day, the UCCS bats woke up in game two with nine total hits in the contest.
- Goldsworth led the way offensively for the Mountain Lions with a 3-for-4 ballgame including a double and a run scored. Gutierrez also had a strong game at the plate, going 2-for-4 and stealing her 11th base of the season.
- Three Mountain Lions recorded RBIs in the ballgame, including Berkowitz, Giroux, and Unrein.
- Kunze was saddled with the loss as she pitched six complete innings while surrendering a total of seven runs, although only three of them were earned. She allowed ten hits and one walk across her outing while striking out three hitters.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Kunze put together a strong line inside the circle for UCCS in the series against Regis as she tossed a total of 13 innings and allowed just three earned runs with 11 strikeouts across two games started.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return home next week as they prepare to host Adams State University for a four-game set at Mountain Lion Field on Friday and Saturday, April 5-6.
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.
