COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team cruised past Fort Lewis College in route to their second consecutive series sweep and eighth straight win, earning a 6-1 win in game one before finishing off the series with a 9-5 win in game two.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 6, FLC 1 | Game 2: UCCS 9, FLC 5
Records: UCCS (15-9, 10-5 RMAC), FLC (2-18, 1-14 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series 80-45.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- UCCS scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning after the first five hitters all singled and Laynee Case poked an opposite field grand slam over the right field wall.
- After a scoreless second, Skyhawk designated player, Chloe Padilla, worked a bases loaded walk in the top of the third to make the score 3-1.
- The next four innings were relatively uneventful as no more runs were scored. Mountain Lion left fielder Jacqueline Berkowitz made a fantastic diving catch in foul territory to end the game with a UCCS 6-1 victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Autumn Kunze (3-4) picks up the win with a complete game, giving up just five hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out six Skyhawks.
- Chloe Padilla (1-3) surrendered all six runs without recording an out in route to the loss. Amiee Shanks pitched incredible in her six innings of work, giving up no runs, five hits and only one walk.
- Laynee Case led the way for the Mountain Lion offense going 2-3 with her grand slam.
- Autumn Kunze stranded nine Skyhawks in route to her complete game.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond escaped a bases loaded, no out jam, only giving up one run on a McKenna Timmons RBI single. Left fielder Jacqueline Berkowitz made another fantastic play, throwing out a runner trying to tag and score on a shallow fly out to end the frame only down 1-0.
- A trio of Skyhawk errors led to four UCCS runs in the bottom of the second inning as the Mountain Lions jumped to a 4-1 lead.
- Haisley Leskinen came in for relief in the top of the third and struggled to start, but a fantastic relay play from Mountain Lion shortstop Halley Redd and a groundout got her out of the inning only giving up two runs as UCCS escaped with a 4-3 lead.
- To start the bottom of the third, Halley Redd and Edyn Lopez hit back-to-back home runs off of Fort Lewis pitcher Hailie Mann, which led to a pitching change for the Skyhawks and a 6-3 UCCS lead.
- The top of the fourth saw a UCCS pitching change after Skyhawk third baseplayer Briana Jorgensen hit a two-run home run against Leskinen.
- The Mountain Lions added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Brooke Bornitz single to make the lead 7-5. The inning could have been a lot worse for the Skyhawks however, as UCCS left the bases loaded.
- A double from Gianna Pancost and RBI single from Laynee Case extended the Mountain Lion lead to 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Case came around to score an unearned run after a Fort Lewis error kept the frame alive.
- Lauren Falk came in and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to finish the game as UCCS won 9-5.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- Lauren Falk (2-2) pitched fantastic to end the game, going a scoreless 3.2 innings while allowing just two hits and two walks.
- Hailie Mann (0-8) struggled in her two innings of work, giving up five hits, six runs, albeit only three earned, but also walked five batters.
- Halley Redd was incredible at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a solo home run, double and scoring twice. Gianna Pancost also doubled and drove in three while hitting 2-for-3.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions picked up their eighth straight win today, their first such winning streak since they won nine consecutive games during the 2014 season.
- UCCS head coach Dwight Sanders' career record against his former club is now 6-0.
- The Mountain Lions picked up their 80th win against the Skyhawks.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will host a non-conference doubleheader against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, March 11. Game one is scheduled to start at noon.
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.
