COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sophomore
Laynee Case had a huge day at the plate to help the University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team open their four-game series against Adams State University with a pair of wins by scores of 5-3 and 9-4.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 5, ASU 3 | Game 2: UCCS 9, ASU 4
Records: UCCS (22-14, 16-9 RMAC), ASU (4-34, 2-24 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 71-56 all-time against the Grizzlies.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Grizzlies opened the first game of the series with a quick rally in the top of the first inning against UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond as they used three singles and a Mountain Lion error to plate a pair of runs and grab a 2-0 advantage.
- The Mountain Lions cut their deficit in half to start the bottom of the second frame as Katie Steinmetz lifted a leadoff home run over the left field fence that made it a 2-1 game. After the next two batters in the inning were retired by ASU starter Celie Page, UCCS shortstop Halley Redd sparked a two-out rally with a walk that was followed by back-to-back singles from Edyn Lopez and Alyssa Gutierrez and a double by Jennavieve Goldsworth, scoring a pair of runs and giving the home team their first lead of the afternoon, 3-2.
- After both teams failed to score in third inning despite having multiple baserunners reach, the Grizzlies managed to scratch across a run to even the game at three runs apiece in the top of the fourth frame with the help of two singles and a pair of defensive errors by UCCS.
- With the game still tied in the bottom of the fifth inning, a single by Steinmetz and a double by Laynee Case gave the Mountain Lions a golden opportunity to jump ahead with runners on second and third base with two outs. After initiating the Mountain Lions run-scoring rally in the second inning, Redd stepped up to the plate and came through once again as she ripped a two-RBI single to left field that gave UCCS a 5-3 lead.
- Now holding a two-run cushion, Bond cruised through the final two frames of the ballgame as she held the Grizzlies scoreless with just a single and a walk to finish off a 5-3, series-opening victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded 11 hits in the opening game of the series, including four extra-base hits.
- More than half of UCCS' hits came from Steinmetz and Gutierrez, who both notched perfect 3-for-3 lines at the plate. Steinmetz's home run in the second inning marked her fourth of the season.
- Redd paced the Mountain Lions with a pair of RBIs, while Goldsworth, Steinmetz, and Gutierrez each added one of their own.
- Bond (7-3) picked up her seventh win of the season, tossing seven complete innings while allowing three runs (one earned) and matching her season and career high with 10 strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- After UCCS' game two starting pitcher Autumn Kunze worked around a leadoff single to keep the Grizzlies scoreless in the top of the first frame, the Mountain Lions manufactured a run in the bottom half to grab a 1-0 advantage as Goldsworth drew a leadoff walk and stole second base before being moved to third on a groundout and coming into score on a sacrifice fly by Gianna Pancost.
- Following a perfect top of the second inning in which Kunze struck out the Grizzlies in order, UCCS got their offense rolling in the bottom of the frame with three runs coming across the plate to push the lead to 4-0. Case opened the inning with single into right field and, after being moved to third base on a sac bunt and a wild pitch, came across to score on an RBI single by Edyn Lopez. Katelyn Kilgore added another run with an RBI double into the right center field gap before a single from Gutierrez put runners on first and third with one out in the inning. With Goldsworth now at the plate, Kilgore and Gutierrez executed a double steal to perfection with Kilgore coming across the plate to score the third run of the frame.
- The top of the third inning saw Adams State cut the lead in half as three consecutive doubles against Kunze led to a pair of runs. With the advantage whittled down to 4-2, Kunze quickly stopped the bleeding as she recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the frame with the lead still intact.
- The Mountain Lions continued to add on to their advantage in their half of the third inning with some aggressive baserunning as Case reached on a one-out single and managed to score all the way from first base on a single from Redd that made it a 5-2 game.
- Case, who entered the bottom of the fifth inning with a pair of hits already, continued her hot swinging with a solo shot over the center field that extended the cushion further for UCCS. Following an RBI single by Tayler McCombs in the home half of the sixth inning that made it a 7-2 game, Case put a cap on her huge day as she lifted a two-run home run over the left field fence to break it open at 9-2.
- Meanwhile, Kunze continued to deal inside the circle after surrendering the two runs in the third inning as she kept the Grizzlies scoreless over the next three innings of play with just a pair of hits. Adams State did manage to add a pair of runs in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI double from Sydney Rodriguez, but the Kunze eventually managed to record the final out to secure a 9-4 win in game two.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions once again notched 11 hits in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, including three extra-base hits.
- Case had a huge game, going 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs. The sophomore infielder is now tied for the team lead with seven long balls this season.
- Kunze (5-5) secured her fifth win of the campaign, tossing seven complete innings and surrendering four earned runs. The third-year pitcher struck out seven Grizzlies while allowing eight hits and walking two batters.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Bond reached 10 strikeouts for the second time in her last three starts inside the circle and now has 67 punchouts in 73.1 innings pitched this season.
- Case recorded her second multi-homer game of the season. In addition to being tied with Pancost for the team lead in home runs, she also ranks second on the team with 31 RBIs.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close their series against Adams State tomorrow morning with a new start time of 10 a.m. for the doubleheader.
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.
