COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team lost their first game 5-1 and their second game 13-2 against Colorado Mesa University on Saturday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 1, CMU 5 | Game 2: UCCS 2, CMU 13
Records: UCCS (20-12, 14-7 RMAC), CMU (20-8, 18-4 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colorado
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 5-41 all-time against the Mavericks.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- After hitting the first batter on the first pitch of the game, Mountain Lions' starting pitcher Kailey Bond retired the next three CMU batters, striking out two in the process to give her offense a chance to score. With no UCCS runs scored in the bottom of the first inning, Bond struck out three of the four batters she faced in the second inning to head to the bottom half scoreless.
- The Mountain Lions went down in order in the bottom of the second inning before CMU's Bella Aragon recorded the first hit of the ballgame in the top of the third on a double into the right center field gap. After the leadoff double, Bond retired the next three batters to keep the game scoreless.
- The first runs of the ballgame came in the top of the fourth inning when the Mavericks' Brynn Escobar hit a two-run home run to left center field to give Colorado Mesa a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the fourth.
- With the score still sitting at 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Mountain Lions tallied their first hit of the game as Laynee Case ripped a line drive into left field to reach safely. Two batters later, Halley Redd hit another single into left field to put two runners on with two outs. The Mavericks' starting pitcher Jessalyn Gallegos would strike out the next UCCS batter to hold the two-run lead heading into the sixth inning.
- The Mountain Lions ran into some more trouble in the top of the sixth inning as Escobar sent her second home run of the day over the outfield fence to take a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning. UCCS threatened to score again in the bottom of the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with two outs after two singles and a hit batter before Gallegos struck out the next batter to leave the bases loaded and protect the 3-0 CMU lead.
- The Mavericks scored two more runs in the top half of the seventh inning after an error with two runners on followed by a double steal to go up 5-0 heading into the home half of the seventh. The Mountain Lions finally broke through in the final half inning of action when Bailey Olerich scored from third on a fielding error to post a run before ending the game with a 5-1 defeat.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded six hits and drew one walk in their first game of the weekend.
- Bond (6-2) earned her second loss of the season after allowing five runs (three earned) in seven innings pitched with five walks and 10 strikeouts.
- Gallegos (9-1) earned her ninth win of the season after allowing one unearned run in seven innings pitched with one walk and nine strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Starting pitcher Autumn Kunze walked two CMU batters in the first inning of the second game of Saturday's doubleheader but was able to escape with no damage done heading into the bottom half. The Mountain Lions took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Jacqueline Berkowitz and Gianna Pancost scored after reaching with one out.
- Kunze ran into some trouble in the top of the second inning as the Mavericks scored eight runs on five hits and one error to take a six-run lead heading into the bottom of the second. After a scoreless home half of the second inning, CMU center fielder Ally Distler hit a two-run home run over the right center field fence to take a 10-2 lead in the top of the third.
- The Mountain Lions posted a scoreless bottom half of the third inning before Mavericks' designated player Brynn Escobar hit a solo shot for her first home run of the game and third of the afternoon to go up 11-2 through three and a half frames. Colorado Mesa kept UCCS from scoring in the bottom of the fourth and added two more runs in the fifth and would take a 13-2 victory due to the five inning eight run rule after a scoreless home half of the fifth.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions tallied four hits and drew three walks in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
- Kunze (4-5) took her fifth loss of the season, allowing 11 runs (eight earned) in three innings with five walks and four strikeouts.
- Sophia Tassinari (5-2) earned her fifth win of the season, allowing two runs in five innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Kailey Bond's 10 strikeouts in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader were the most she has had in a game all season as well as her career high, surpassing her previous record of eight against Black Hills State University on Feb. 24, 2024.
- Game one was only the second time CMU has struck out 10 times as a team this season, with the first coming against Angelo State University on Feb. 1, 2025.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will play the final two games of their four-game series against CMU tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 23 at Mountain Lion Field with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.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.
