PUEBLO, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team dropped the first two games of their four-game set against Colorado State University Pueblo on Sunday afternoon with the Mountain Lions suffering a 5-1 defeat in game one of the doubleheader before falling in a tight 4-3 setback in the second game.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 1, CSUP 5 | Game 2: UCCS 3, CSUP 4
Records: UCCS (24-16, 18-11 RMAC), CSUP (22-15, 21-9 RMAC)
Location: CSUP Rawlings Softball Complex | Pueblo, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions fall to 60-64 all-time against CSU Pueblo.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Following a pair of scoreless innings to begin the ballgame, the Mountain Lions got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning with three consecutive two-out singles from Jacqueline Berkowitz, Gianna Pancost, and Katie Steinmetz resulting in a 1-0 advantage.
- The lead was short-lived, however, as the first two hitters for CSU Pueblo reached safely in the bottom half of the third on an error and a walk before Taylor Brower brought both runners home with a two-RBI triple. Despite the early trouble, UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond limited the damage in the frame to just one additional run as the ThunderWolves took a 3-1 lead to the fourth.
- CSU Pueblo added on to their lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning as Emma Case lined an RBI single to right field that made it a 4-1 ballgame. After getting their first two hitters on base in the top of the fifth inning but ultimately failing to score, the ThunderWolves tacked on an unearned run in bottom of the frame to extend their advantage to 5-1.
- Facing a four-run deficit, UCCS was unable to find much offense down the stretch against CSUP starting pitcher Mckenna James, who finished off a seven-inning complete game effort while limiting the Mountain Lions to just one earned run to send the Mountain Lions to a 5-1 defeat.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- Despite scoring just one run against James, the Mountain Lions managed to record eight hits in the game while drawing one walk and taking one hit-by-pitch.
- Reigning RMAC Player of the Week Laynee Case continued to swing a hot bat in the series-opener, going 2-for-3 with a double.
- Steinmetz drove in the team's lone run of the game with her single in the third inning as part of a 1-for-4 performance at the plate.
- Bond (8-4) was saddled with her fourth loss of the season despite a solid outing inside the circle in which she surrendered five runs (three earned) with a pair of strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions opened the second game of Sunday's doubleheader with a quick scoring opportunity as they loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the first inning after an error, a fielder's choice, and a walk. UCCS would cash in one of the runners on a bases-loaded walk by Halley Redd, but CSUP starting pitcher Mia Sanchez managed to retire Edyn Lopez on a fly ball to right field to end the frame.
- CSU Pueblo countered with a bases-loaded threat of their own in the bottom of the first inning as a single, a double, and a walk against UCCS starter Autumn Kunze put runners everywhere with just one out. Kunze buckled down after the rocky start, however, inducing a fielder's choice groundout and a fly out to hold the ThunderWolves off the scoreboard and preserve UCCS' 1-0 advantage.
- UCCS extended their advantage with single runs in their half of the second and third innings with a solo home run from Jennavieve Goldsworth in the second making it a 2-0 ballgame before an RBI double by Redd in the third pushed it to a 3-0 lead.
- In the bottom of the third inning, Kunze easily retired the first two hitters she faced but ran into trouble when a single by Caitlyn Cole and a hit batter put a pair of runners on base with two outs. After back-to-back singles from Cali Cole and Emma Case brought in a trio of runs and tied the game at three apiece, Tori Cordova kept the hit parade going with another single down the left field line to put runners on the corners. During the next plate appearance, CSU Pueblo put on a double steal attempt and ultimately had Case thrown out at the plate for what Kunze and the Mountain Lions thought was the third out of the inning, but after a discussion between the umpiring crew, the call was overturned and it was ruled that UCCS catcher Katelyn Kilgore committed obstruction on the play at the plate, resulting in Case being safe and the ThunderWolves taking a 4-3 lead.
- The call at the plate loomed large in the grand scheme of the ballgame as both teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the afternoon with CSU Pueblo holding on for a 4-3 victory. The Mountain Lions did threaten to even the contest in the top of the seventh as Pancost led off the inning with a single up the middle to put the tying the run on base and Tayler McCombs followed with a long single down the left field line, but pinch-runner Alyssa Gutierrez was thrown out attempting to advance to third on McCombs single before Sanchez retired Case and Redd for the final two outs of the game.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- UCCS tallied six hits in the second game of the doubleheader with Redd notching her 10th double of the season and Goldsworth launching her second home run of the campaign to account for the team's two extra base hits.
- Redd drove home two of the Mountain Lions' three runs with Goldsworth also adding an RBI on her home run.
- Kunze (5-6) was credited with her sixth loss of the season after allowing four unearned runs across six complete innings of work. The junior pitcher allowed nine hits, issued one walk, and hit one batter while striking out five.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With her two-hit performance in the first game of today's doubleheader, Case recorded her team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return to Pueblo, Colo. tomorrow to close out their series against CSU Pueblo with a doubleheader set to begin at 11 a.m. from CSUP Rawlings Softball Complex.
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.
