PUEBLO, Colo. – For a second straight day, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team recorded a split of their doubleheader against Colorado State University Pueblo as a late-inning grand slam by
Izzy Giroux lifted the Mountain Lions to a 6-1 win in game one before the ThunderWolves took the final game of the series by a score of 3-2.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 6, CSUP 1 | Game 2: UCCS 2, CSUP 3
Records: UCCS (17-32, 14-26 RMAC), CSUP (22-29, 20-20 RMAC)
Location: CSUP Rawlings Softball Complex | Pueblo, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 60-62 all-time against the ThunderWolves.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- After both teams went scoreless across the first two innings of the ballgame, UCCS got on the board first in the top of the third inning with back-to-back singles from Alyssa Gutierrez and Jacqueline Berkowitz to lead off the frame setting the table for a sacrifice fly from Izzy Giroux that put the Mountain Lions ahead 1-0.
- With the one-run lead in hand, UCCS starting pitcher Autumn Kunze picked up where she left off yesterday as she held the ThunderWolves scoreless across the first five innings of action. Despite the incredible start, Kunze made her first mistake of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning as Caitlyn Cole took her deep to right field for a solo home run that evened the game up at one run apiece. Kunze would escape the rest of the frame unscathed, however, sending the game to seventh inning in a deadlocked score.
- After losing their lead in the bottom of the sixth, UCCS quickly put together a threat in the top of the seventh frame as singles from Jacqueline Siefken and Berkowitz along with a walk from Katelyn Kilgore gave the Mountain Lions a bases-loaded situation with just one out. Following an infield pop-up from pinch-hitter Alyssa Haberstroh that registered as the second out of the inning, Gianna Pancost worked an excellent at-bat to draw a walk and force home the go-ahead run. The next batter, Giroux, would put the game out of reach as she cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left field fence to push the UCCS lead to 6-1.
- Kunze made quick work of the ThunderWolves in the bottom of the seventh inning as she set them down in order with a pair of strikeouts to secure the complete game victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions had six hits in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader, with Berkowitz collecting a pair and Gutierrez, Giroux, Laynee Case, and Siefken each getting one.
- With her grand slam in the seventh inning and five RBIs in the game, Giroux now ranks second on the team with four long balls and 21 RBIs this season.
- In addition to their six hits, UCCS drew five walks in the game, including a pair from Pancost.
- Kunze (10-10) picked up her second win of the series and tenth win of the season after tossing seven more stellar innings of one-run softball. The sophomore pitcher needed just 79 pitches to complete the game as she allowed just five hits and no walks while striking out eight batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The ThunderWolves found themselves with an early lead in the final game of the series as they plated a pair of unearned runs in the bottom half of the first inning against UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond.
- For CSU Pueblo, Marissa Robertson continued her momentum from yesterday's complete game shutout as she pitched four perfect innings against UCCS to open the ballgame. On the offensive side, the ThunderWolves added on to their advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning as Ashley Tosh lined an RBI single up the middle that pushed the lead to 3-0.
- In the top of the fifth inning, the Mountain Lions were gifted a run with one out after Case hit a slow dribbler out in front of the plate. The catcher would step out to field the ball, but her throw sailed high and rolled out to the fence in right field, allowing Case to sprint all the way around the bases and score the first run of the game for the Mountain Lions. Robertson would get the final two hitters in the inning to ground out, however, as she kept the no-hitter intact and maintained the ThunderWolves' 3-1 lead.
- The top of the sixth inning saw the bottom of the Mountain Lion batting order finally get a rally started against Robertson with Busshart opening the inning with a walk and quickly advancing to third on a single up the middle by Kilgore. After Kilgore stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position, Roberston got Gutierrez to pop out to the right side, but the next batter, Berkowitz, hit an RBI groundout to cut the Mountain Lion deficit to 3-2. With a runner on third base and two outs, Pancost hit a ball hard up the middle that was fielded by the shortstop and delivered to first base on time to keep the score as is heading to the home half of the sixth.
- After Bond set down the ThunderWolves in the home half of the sixth inning to hold the deficit at one run, the Mountain Lions stepped to the plate in the top of the seventh looking to find one run to extend the game. Case would get a one-out single to give the Mountain Lions hope but was caught stealing as she attempted to get into scoring position before a ground ball from Edyn Lopez ended the ballgame with CSU Pueblo earning the 3-2 win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions were able to muster just two hits in the final game of the series with Case and Kilgore recording one apiece.
- Berkowitz recorded the lone RBI of the ballgame on her run-scoring ground out in the sixth inning.
- UCCS stole a pair of bases with Busshart taking her fourth of the season and Kilgore tallying her second of the year.
- Inside the circle, Bond (6-11) took the loss despite pitching effectively across six innings. She surrendered three runs, just one earned, while holding the ThunderWolves to five hits and one walk throughout her outing.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With her tenth win of the season in game one, Kunze becomes the first Mountain Lion pitcher to reach the ten-win benchmark since Lexi Rayburn did so during the 2022 season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return home to close the regular season next weekend with a four-game set against Fort Lewis College on Friday and Saturday, April 26-27, at Mountain Lion Field.
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.
