COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team completed a crucial four-game series sweep over Adams State University on Saturday as they pulled out a tight 6-5 victory to open the day before cruising to an 11-3 run-rule victory in the second game of the doubleheader.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 6, ASU 5 | Game 2: UCCS 11, ASU 3 (Five Innings)
Records: UCCS (24-14, 18-9 RMAC), ASU (4-36, 2-26 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 73-56 all-time against the Grizzlies.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Adams State got their offense started early in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader as a pair of sacrifice flies gave them a 2-0 lead against UCCS starting pitcher Hannah Hunt. The Grizzlies threatened for even more damage in the frame but stranded runners on second and third after Jacqueline Berkowitz made a nice running catch into the left center field gap to record the final out of the inning.
- After being held scoreless across the first two innings of play despite multiple deep fly ball outs, the Mountain Lions finally got a ball to fly out of the park in the bottom of the third inning as Laynee Case lined a three-run home run over the center field fence that gave UCCS a 3-2 advantage after three complete frames.
- Jennavieve Goldsworth sparked another run-scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fourth inning as she reached on a bloop single to left center field and quickly wound up in scoring position after stealing second and moving up to third on a throwing error by the Adams State catcher. Goldsworth made her way across home plate in the next at-bat as Berkowitz executed an RBI groundout to extend the UCCS lead to 4-2.
- Hunt found herself in some quick trouble in the top half of the fifth inning as a walk, a single, and an error gave the Grizzlies a bases loaded opportunity with just one out in the frame. Another walk brought home a run and cut the UCCS lead to 4-3 before Hunt induced a ground ball to shortstop that she thought would end the inning, but an error on a dropped catch on the fielder's choice by Case allowed two more unearned runs to score and gave the Grizzlies a 5-4 lead.
- Adams State's advantage was short-lived, however, as Edyn Lopez launched a two-run home run to left center field in the bottom of the fifth that pushed the Mountain Lions back ahead by a score of 6-5. Hunt had to work around multiple baserunners in the sixth and seventh innings but managed to hold UCCS' slim one-run lead to finish off a 6-5 win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded eight hits in the third game of the series, with Berkowitz and Pancost each recording two-hit performances.
- UCCS hit a pair of home runs in the ballgame with Case launching her team-leading eighth long ball of the season and Lopez picking up her second of the campaign.
- Hunt (9-3) secured her ninth win of the season as she allowed five runs (three earned) while striking out five hitters. The freshman hurler worked around trouble throughout the game as she saw a total of 15 Grizzlies reach base via eight hits, five walks, and two hit batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions cracked the scoreboard first in the bottom half of the opening frame as Goldsworth led off the ballgame with a walk and came across to score on a defensive error by the Grizzlies.
- After Adams State scored a pair of runs in their half of the second inning to jump ahead 2-1, UCCS reclaimed their advantage in the bottom half as they strung together four hits to plate two runs of their own for a 3-2 lead.
- In the top of the fourth inning, the Mountain Lions displayed some shaky defense as three errors in the frame led to the game-tying run for Adams State. UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond managed to pitch around the miscues, however, as she limited the damage to just the one run to keep the ballgame tied at three.
- The floodgates broke open for the Mountain Lions on the offensive side in the bottom of the fourth inning as they plated seven runs on five hits, three walks, and an error to jump out to a 10-3 cushion. Case led off the frame with a solo home run that was followed by three consecutive Mountain Lion walks. After a run scored on a wild pitch, Goldsworth plated another one with an RBI single before Pancost brought home two more with a double to right field and Steinmetz put a cap on the scoring in the frame with a deep home run to right center field.
- Following a scoreless top of the fifth by Bond, the Mountain Lions loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single in the bottom of the inning before Steinmetz laced an RBI single up the middle to finish off an 11-3 run-rule victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions notched 12 hits in the final game of the series with four different student-athletes recording multi-hit outings.
- Case capped her big weekend with a 3-for-3 performance at the dish with a double, a home run, and an RBI. Goldsworth was also a perfect 2-for-2 out of the leadoff spot in the lineup with a pair of walks and two RBIs.
- Pancost and Steinmetz provided plenty of run production from the heart of the order as the former went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and the latter posted a 2-for-4 line with a home run and three RBIs.
- Bond (8-3) pitched the complete five innings for the Mountain Lions as she secured her eighth win of the season while surrendering three runs (two earned) and striking out four hitters.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- By reaching base in both games today, Goldsworth extended her on-base streak to 11 consecutive games. The sophomore utility player has now reached safely in 17 of the 19 games she has appeared in this season.
- Case was impressive at the plate throughout the weekend for the Mountain Lions, recording a .692 batting average (9-for-13) with two doubles, four home runs, and seven RBIs.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will head out on the road next weekend to take on Colorado State University Pueblo for a four-game conference series in Pueblo, Colo. on April 4-5.
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.
