COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Fort Hays State University softball teams each took home a win in the doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon with junior Kailey Bond pitching the Mountain Lions to an 8-0 run-rule win in the first game of the day and the Tigers taking game two by a score of 5-1.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 8, FHSU 0 (5 innings) | Game 2: UCCS 1, FHSU 5
Records: UCCS (16-10, 10-5 RMAC) , FHSU (12-6, 3-1 MIAA)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 16-27 all-time against the Tigers.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions' starting pitcher Kailey Bond got straight to work in the top of the first as she sat down three of the first four batters to send it to the bottom half. The Tigers began their defensive stand with two straight fielding outs, but were met with a storm of hits from UCCS. It began with a Gianna Pancost double followed by a Katie Steinmetz RBI single. Tayler McCombs, Laynee Case and Halley Redd would keep things flowing with singles of their own, scoring two more on Redd's single. The Mountain Lions had found a 3-0 lead headed into the second.
- Bond continued her sharp outing as she responded with three straight outs after a leadoff walk. Mackenzie Scott would get things going in the bottom of the second with a single. She advanced to second on a fielders choice and would come around to score on a Pancost RBI single making it 4-0 headed to the third inning.
- The third inning saw six straight outs thanks to some clean fielding from both teams. As a result, the Mountain Lions took their four run lead to the fourth.
- Fort Hays State struggled to get anything going in the fourth as three more consecutive batters were sat down. Bailey Olerich laid down a bunt single in the bottom of the fourth but the Mountain Lions failed to add to their four-run lead.
- FHSU managed to get runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the fifth but couldn't get anyone across home plate. In the bottom of the frame, Steinmetz poked a single with one out that sparked a bit of momentum for UCCS. Alyssa Gutierrez came in to pinch run for Steinmetz and instantly stole second before a triple from McCombs made it 5-0 as Gutierrez came across to score. Laynee Case would take four balls and find herself on first making it runners on the corners with one out. It was then that Halley Redd sent one over the fence for a three-run shot that ended the game via run rule in five innings with the score 8-0 in favor of the Mountain Lions.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- Kailey Bond picked up the win for the Mountain Lions, moving to 4-1 on the season. She pitched the entire game allowing only two hits and one walk while striking out five hitters. Savanah Egger tallied the loss and falls to 5-4 for the year.
- The Tigers struggled with only two hits while UCCS capitalized off 11 hits scoring eight runners.
- Redd had a nice outing with five total RBIs from two hits including a game ending three run homer, marking her third long ball of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The second game got off to a relatively slow start with each team finding just a singular baserunner, but managing nothing more. 0-0 was the score as the game headed to the second.
- The Tigers found another baserunner off of a single in the top of the second, but no runs followed. Redd was hit by a pitch in the bottom half, but that would also be as far as UCCS would go. The game, so far, a 0-0 defensive stalemate as the game turned to the third. The same pattern continued in the third as both teams recorded singles, but never found second base.
- It wasn't until the top of the fourth inning that a runner would finally score. An RBI single from Regan Curry gave the Tiger's the 1-0 lead. A walk, HBP, and a wild pitch would score another making it 2-0 as the bottom half of the fourth approached. Gianna Pancost responded immediately with a solo shot to make the game 2-1. A Redd single would put a baserunner on, but the inning would end after that. S
- The fifth brought some action for UCCS with runners on first and second with no outs, but FHSU starter Morgan Schmidt sat down the next three batters to maintain the 2-1 lead into the sixth.
- The Mountain Lions got out of a two runner on, one out situation in the top of the sixth frame to keep their deficit to one run. In the bottom half of the inning the Tiger defense stepped up big with two outs on top of a strikeout to send the game to the final inning.
- In the top of the seventh, the Tigers looked to extend their lead after a single and double put runners in scoring position. A two RBI double from Abbey Duarte brought home two runs, extending the lead to three. The next batter, Regan Curry, hit a double of her own scoring another to make it 5-1. The Mountain Lions couldn't get anything going in the bottom half and the game would end there with Fort Hays taking game two by a score of 5-1.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- 11 FHSU hits propelled them to victory along with a superb pitching performance that saw Schmidt allow just four hits to the Mountain Lions.
- Lauren Falk was charged with the loss as she falls to 2-3 on the year, meanwhile Morgan Schmidt picks up win seven and improves to 7-2 on the season.
- Three doubles from FHSU along with three walks, a HBP, and eight more singles was enough firepower to get the job done this afternoon.
- Eight different players recorded a hit for the Tigers as a well rounded offensive game paid off for them.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Redd and McCombs continue to lead the team offensively with impressive seasons so far as each of them currently hold batting averages north of .460.
- With her single in the first game of the day, Scott has now reached base safely in each of the 24 games she has appeared in this season.
- Today's games move the Mountain Lions to an impressive 11-3 at home and 6-5 out of conference.
UP NEXT
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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.
