DENVER, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team battled to a hard-fought series split against Metropolitan State University Denver, bouncing back from a 6-3 loss in game one to edge the Roadrunners 3-2 in a thrilling game two finish.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 3, MSUD 6 | Game 2: UCCS 3, MSUD 2
Records: UCCS (30-22, 24-17 RMAC), MSUD (39-13, 34-9 RMAC)
Location: MSUD Assembly Athletic Complex | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: After today's split, the Roadrunners still lead the series 45-23.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- MSUD took an early lead in Saturday's first game, scratching across a run in the bottom of the first after tossing a scoreless frame against the Mountain Lions. UCCS answered back in the top of the second, stringing together back-to-back singles from Tayler McCombs and Layne Case before Edyn Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring McCombs from third to knot the score at one apiece.
- Starter Hannah Hunt kept things clean for UCCS, tossing another zero in the third inning as both teams stayed off the board. The Mountain Lions' bats stayed quiet through the fourth, but the Roadrunners finally broke through, stringing together three hits and plating three runs to take a 4-1 lead heading into the fifth.
- MSUD starter Natalie Romero stayed in command, setting UCCS down in order in the top of the fifth, keeping the Mountain Lions off the scoreboard for the fourth straight frame. The Roadrunners tacked on more in the fifth, adding two more runs to lead 6-1.
- Gianna Pancost finally got UCCS back into the scoring column in the top of the sixth, launching a solo shot over the left-center field fence to trim the deficit to 6-2. The Mountain Lions could not thread anything else together, but Hunt held the line, keeping MSUD off the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning.
- Down to their final three outs and trailing by four, Halley Redd sparked a rally attempt by singling up the middle to start the seventh. After Romero notched two quick outs, Jennavieve Goldsworth roped an RBI double down the left field line to bring Redd home and cut the deficit to 6-3. Jacqueline Berkowitz reached on an error, putting the tying run at the plate. However, Pancsot grounded out to second base, ending the late push, and sealing the 6-3 game one win for the Roadrunners.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Six different Mountain Lions recorded hits in game one: Goldsworth, Berkowitz, Pancost, McCombs, Case, and Redd.
- Goldsworth, Pancost, and Lopez all recorded an RBI.
- The Mountain Lions did a good job of putting the ball in play and giving themselves chances, striking out only once.
- UCCS left six runners on base.
- Hunt falls to 11-5 on the season after throwing six innings and allowing seven hits, six earned runs, and two walks, with five strikeouts.
- Romero improves to 19-3 on the season after throwing seven innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, two walks, and one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Starters Autumn Kunze and Jenna Medhus opened game two by trading zeroes in the first inning. However, the Roadrunners scratched across the game's first run in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on a hit-by-pitch and a double to take an early lead.
- The Mountain Lions answered back in the top of the third with two outs, as Bailey Olreich legged out an infield single and came around to score on a double into the right-center by Goldsworth.
- Kunze ran into a jam in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out, but UCCS buckled down and wiggled out of trouble to keep the game tied at 1-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Pancost reached on an error, moved up to second, and crossed home plate on a double down the left field line from Case. The Mountain Lions tacked on another run when Lopez reached on a miscue at second base, allowing Case to score and stretch the lead to 3-1.
- Kunze had to work around more traffic in the bottom of the fourth but stranded the runners to put up another scoreless inning. UCCS retired in order in the top of the fifth, and with MSUD threatening again with runners on first and second and one out in the bottom half, Olreich made an incredible diving catch in right field to rob the Roadrunners of extra bases. Kunze then forced a routine out to escape the inning unharmed and carry a 3-1 advantage into the sixth.
- MSUD threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on with a hit and a walk. Lauren Falk came on in relief of Kunze, but the Roadrunners quickly loaded the bases. MSUD managed to scratch a run across on a walk, but Falk slammed the door on a bigger rally, recording two more outs to escape the jam and preserve the 3-2 lead for UCCS.
- The Mountain Lions could not tack on any insurance runs in the top of the seventh, and Falk would return to the circle looking to slam the door. Falk needed just one pitch to notch the first out and induced a flyout to center for the second. MSUD made some noise with a two-out double after battling a two-strike count, but Falk shut the door for good, getting a lineout to first base to lock up the 3-2 win and a series split.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The game had limited offense, as the two teams combined for just eight hits (four hits apiece).
- Goldsworth, Case, Kaitlyn Kilgore, and Olerich recorded a hit each. Goldsworth and Case each hit a double to drive in a run.
- UCCS allowed seven walks but did a great job limiting damage as they forced the Roadrunners to strand 11 base runners.
- Kunze improves to 7-7 on the season after throwing five innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, five walks, and three hit-by-pitches.
- Falk earns her sixth save of the season after throwing two innings and allowing just one hit and two walks.
- Medhus threw all seven innings for MSUD, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out three. Medhus falls to 5-4 on the season.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Redd extended her hit streak to 12 after going 1-for-3 in game one but failed to record a hit in game two.
- With her 1-for-3 performance in the game, Redd has now recorded 65 hits this season, which marks the most hits in a freshman season in program history.
- With her one hit in game one, McCombs now sits at 62 hits this season, giving her sole possession of the third most hits in a freshman season in program history.
UP NEXT
- UCCS clinched a spot in the RMAC tournament last weekend and will make its first appearance since the 2022 season. Stay tuned to gomountainlions.com for more information on the RMAC tournament seeding and matchups.
SOCIAL
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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.
