LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team received a stellar showing from their freshman class on Thursday afternoon as first-year pitchers
Hannah Hunt and
Lauren Falk combined to toss seven scoreless innings and
Tayler McCombs drove in a pair of early runs to help the Mountain Lions stay alive in the 2025 RMAC Softball Tournament with a 3-0 shutout victory over No. 6 seed Black Hills State University.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: (5) UCCS 3, (6) BHSU 0
Records: UCCS (32-23, 24-17 RMAC), BHSU (27-27, 25-19 RMAC)
Location: All Star Park | Lakewood, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 37-13 all-time against the Yellow Jackets.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- For a second consecutive tournament game, the UCCS starting lineup drew a tough assignment as Black Hills State opened Thursday's elimination game with RMAC Pitcher of the Year Lacey Peskey taking the rubber inside the circle. Following a fly out by Jennavieve Goldsworth to open the top of the first frame, the Mountain Lions strung together three consecutive singles against the Yellow Jackets' outstanding righty to load the bases for freshman Tayler McCombs, who came through with a clutch two-RBI double to the right center field gap that put UCCS ahead 2-0. Peskey did manage to limit the damage in the frame to just the two runs as she retired Laynee Case and Halley Redd to finish the inning.
- With a two-run lead in her back pocket before even stepping into the circle, UCCS' freshman starting pitcher Hannah Hunt took to the rubber in the bottom of the first and found herself in an early predicament as the BHSU leadoff hitter Tyler Whitlock reached base on an error and quickly moved all the way to third base on a passed ball in the next at-bat. Hunt was unfazed by the immediate runner in scoring position, however, as she struck out the next two hitters she faced, and then, after issuing a walk to Ashlynn Pauwels, got Alyssa Wong to hit a pop-up on the infield that ended the inning without any runs scoring.
- After allowing a pair of runs in the first frame, Peskey began to settle in as she went on to keep the Mountain Lions off the scoreboard for the next five innings of play. Fortunately for UCCS, Hunt was equally as good inside the circle as she held the Yellow Jackets scoreless through five innings while allowing no hits and just three additional baserunners after the first frame.
- In the bottom of the sixth inning, UCCS head coach Dwight Sanders made a switch inside the circle with freshman Lauren Falk entering the game in relief of Hunt. Falk promptly walked the first batter she faced and, after inducing pop-ups against the next two hitters for the first two outs of the inning, surrendered a single and another walk to load the bases for pinch-hitter Adreanna Lance. Lance took a rip at the first pitch she saw and made good contact with the ball but got slightly under it as her fly ball hung up for Jacqueline Berkowitz to make the catch in left field and end the inning.
- After escaping the jam in the sixth inning, the Mountain Lion bats stepped back to the plate in the top of the seventh looking for insurance runs and Bailey Olerich did her part as she led off the inning with an infield single to the left side. Following a pop-up by Goldsworth, Olerich began to work her way around the bases as she stole second and then advanced to third base on a groundout by Berkowitz. With two outs in the inning and Olerich in scoring position, Gianna Pancost stepped up to the plate and delivered a double to left field that pushed the Mountain Lions' cushion to 3-0.
- Falk returned to the circle in the bottom half of the frame and worked around a double by Whitlock to keep the shutout intact as UCCS earned a 3-0 win and punched their ticket to the third day of the tournament.
STATS FROM THE GAME
- The Mountain Lions had nine hits in the game against Peskey, including doubles from Pancost, McCombs, and Redd.
- McCombs drove home two of the three runs for the Mountain Lions, while Pancost batted in the third run of the game.
- Hunt (12-5) was excellent inside the circle as she pitched five no-hit innings while walking four and striking out four to collect her 12th win of the season. Falk secured her seventh save of the campaign, tossing a pair of shutout frames while surrendering two hits and two walks.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 2025 season marks the first time the Mountain Lions have won multiple games in the RMAC Tournament since they defeated Chadron State College and Colorado State University Pueblo in the 2014 conference tournament.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on No. 3 seed Metropolitan State University Denver at 1:30 p.m. in the second round of the consolation bracket. The winner of the matchup featuring the Mountain Lions and Roadrunners will advance to the consolation bracket final and will play at 4 p.m. against the loser of the semifinal round matchup in the winner's bracket between No. 1 seed Colorado Christian University and No. 2 seed Colorado Mesa University.
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.
