COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team won two come-from-behind wins and completed the four-game sweep of Chadron State College today.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 8, CSC 5 | Game 2: UCCS 11, CSC 10
Records: UCCS (11-9, 6-5 RMAC), CSC (7-9, 4-8 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS evened up the all-time series at 19 wins apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Chadron State got the scoring started in the top of the first after back-to-back singles led to an Ashland Baca RBI groundout.
- The Mountain Lions answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI double off the bat of Gianna Pancost to knot the game up at one apiece.
- The top of the second looked to be no problem for UCCS pitcher Kailey Bond after she retired the first two batters. However, a three-run, two-out rally by the Eagles allowed them to soar to a 4-1 advantage.
- After Chadron State pitcher Tori Haug retired nine straight Mountain Lion hitters, Katie Steinmetz crushed a solo home run over the right field wall. Taylor McCombs followed the blast with a double, and scored on a Laynee Case sac fly to shrink the deficit to 4-3 after four innings.
- The Eagles worked another run across in the top half of the fifth after a Jazlyn Arvizo RBI groundout extended their lead to 5-3.
- UCCS stormed back in the bottom of the sixth inning after a passed ball and a fielding error by Eagle first base player Jazlyn Arvizo led to five unearned runs for the Mountain Lions. The final three came courtesy of a two-out double by Jacqueline Berkowitz which put UCCS up 8-5.
- Kailey Bond finished the deal in the seventh inning with a mostly clean inning, giving up just one hit, as UCCS secured the series win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Kailey Bond (2-1) pitched well to pick up her second win of the season giving up five earned runs and nine hits in seven innings while striking out seven batters in route to her first complete game of the season.
- Chadron State pitcher Tori Haug (3-4) also pitched well despite getting credited the loss, giving up just three earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three in 5.2 innings of work.
- Halley Redd was the only UCCS hitter with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3, while scoring one run and driving one in.
- Katie Steinmetz's fourth inning home run was her third of the season.
- Five of the Mountain Lions' nine hits went for extra bases.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Chadron State got things going quickly again in game two, scoring five runs, four of which were unearned, off a Laynee Case throwing error and a flurry of bloop hits.
- UCCS answered back quickly with a Tayler McCombs two-run shot over the left field wall to close the early gap to 5-2.
- The Eagles extended their lead to 6-2 in the top of the second inning with a sacrifice fly courtesy of Ashland Baca, which scored Aliyah Rothstein.
- The Mountain Lions closed into striking distance with a three-run home run from Jennavieve Goldsworth in the bottom of the third. It appeared as if Halley Redd drove in the game-tying run, but a dazzling play by Chadron State shortstop Angelina Quezada ended the inning.
- Eagles designated player Ashton Baca drilled her own three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to push UCCS away yet again and extend the lead to 9-5.
- Three straight singles to start the bottom of the fourth plated a run for the Mountain Lions and chased Eagles starter Kenzi Garner from the game with runners on second and third and no outs for reliever Belle Akins. McCombs promptly welcomed Akins into the game with a two-run single to make the score 9-8 Chadron State.
- Elizabeth Thorngren led off the top of the fifth inning with a blast over the left field wall to push the Eagle lead to 10-8 and end Hannah Hunt's day.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, Laynee Case crushed a solo home run over the left center field wall to make the score 10-9.
- After the first two batters of the bottom of the sixth were retired, three straight hits, including a McCombs three-bagger off the top of the wall gave UCCS their first lead of the day at 11-10.
- In the seventh inning, the Mountain Lions would hold onto their one-run lead, thanks in part to Lauren Falk finishing her third scoreless inning since entering the game and completed the sweep.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- Falk (2-1) picked up her first collegiate win, pitching three scoreless innings and only allowing two hits, stopping a Chadron State offense that had been firing on all cylinders. Belle Akins (2-1) received the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings.
- McCombs led the way for the UCCS offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple, and five RBIs.
- McCombs (2), Jacqueline Berkowitz (4), and Mackenzie Scott (2) were the three Mountain Lions to score multiple runs today.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Falk picked up the first win of her collegiate career in game two.
- Jennavieve Goldsworth's third inning home run in game two was the first home run of her collegiate career.
- UCCS trailed three games during the series by three runs and two by five runs, making comebacks in each game to complete their sweep of Chadron State.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will stay at home next week as they host Fort Lewis College. The series will start with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 8 with game one starting at 12 p.m.
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.
