GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team earned a split of Sunday's doubleheader at Colorado Mesa University as they collected a dominant 13-3 win in the first game of the day to secure the series victory before dropping the final game of the series in walk-off fashion by a score of 9-8.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 13, CMU 3 | Game 2: UCCS 8, CMU 9 (8 innings)
Records: UCCS (20-13, 14-10 RMAC), CMU (18-14, 17-7 RMAC)
Location: CMU Softball Field | Grand Junction, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 40-111 all-time against the Mavericks.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- After being limited to just one run across seven innings against Colorado Mesa starter Sophia Tassinari in yesterday's series opener, the Mountain Lions wasted no time finding success against the Mavericks' ace in the top of the first inning as a leadoff double from Jennavieve Goldsworth followed by singles from Alyssa Gutierrez and Gianna Pancost loaded the bases with no outs. Following a fielder's choice off the bat of Addy Baxter that resulted in the first out, Tayler McCombs delivered a two-RBI double into the left center gap to give UCCS an early 2-0 lead. Mackenzie Scott followed with an infield single to shortstop that plated another run and sent Tassinari to an early exit from the circle with CMU head coach Mercedes Bohte calling on Marisa Nehm to get out of the jam. Halley Redd greeted Nehm with a sacrifice fly to right field to extend the lead to 4-0, but the threat ended shortly after as Scott was caught stealing second base to close the frame.
- In the bottom of the first inning, UCCS starting pitcher Charlee Hoover worked around a leadoff double to keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard. The Mountain Lions threatened to add on in the top of the second, loading the bases with no outs behind a pair of singles and a fielding error, but Nehm limited the damage by inducing a pair of fielder's choice groundouts and a lineout to keep the score at 4-0. Colorado Mesa carried over their momentum into the bottom half of the second inning as the Mavericks got their leadoff hitter on base before the next hitter, Khloe Kubitschek, launched a two-run home run over the left field fence that cut the UCCS lead to just two runs. Colorado Mesa threatened to add more runs in the inning after the home run as they loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single, but Hoover buckled down and got a strikeout and a line out to end the inning and keep the Mountain Lions' lead at two.
- The Mountain Lions responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third inning as they loaded the bases with singles from Scott and Redd and a walk by Katie Steinmetz before Goldsworth came through with a two-out, two-RBI single to center field that pushed the lead to 6-2 in favor of UCCS. Looking for a response in the bottom half of the third, Colorado Mesa got a leadoff single by April Neill that ended Hoover's outing as Mountain Lion head coach Dwight Sanders handed the ball to freshman Janessa Giugliano inside the circle. After retiring the first two hitters she faced, Giugliano surrendered a single and a walk to load the bases but got Cailynn Parsons to fly out to center field for the final out to maintain the four-run lead.
- Both teams went down in order in a scoreless fourth inning, but the Mountain Lions got their bats rolling once again in the top of the fifth as a single by McCombs and a double by Scott to start the frame put runners on second and third for Redd, who immediately cashed in both runners with a single to left field that made it an 8-2 ballgame.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Mavericks quickly broke through for a run against Giugliano as Neill led off the frame with a home run to left field. After the home run, Giugliano issued a walk to the next batter, Tegan Medina, prompting the Mountain Lions to turn the ball over to their ace Autumn Kunze inside the circle. Kunze made quick work of the Mavericks upon entering the game as she got a pair of fly balls and a line out to end the inning with the Mountain Lions still leading 8-3.
- UCCS extended their lead to 9-3 in the top half of the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly by McCombs and, after another perfect inning by Kunze in the bottom half, broke the game wide open in the top of the seventh with a four-run output that pushed the advantage to 10 runs. Goldsworth got the scoring started in the inning with an RBI double over the center fielder's head before an RBI single by Pancost and a two-RBI single by McCombs made it a 13-3 game. Kunze remained in control in the bottom of the seventh frame, retiring the Mavericks in order to secure a 13-3 victory for the Mountain Lions.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions pounded out a season-high 21 hits in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, including five three-hit performances and a pair of two-hit displays.
- McCombs paced the Mountain Lions with five RBIs in the game, while Goldsworth and Redd each drove in three runs.
- Hoover drew the start inside the circle for UCCS and allowed two earned runs across two innings pitched, surrendering five hits and two walks while striking out four hitters.
- Giugliano (2-2) was credited with her second win of the season after allowing one earned run across two innings pitched while striking out two batters.
- Kunze tossed three perfect innings to close out the game as she retired each of the nine hitters she faced while recording two strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Coming off a rough outing in the first game of the doubleheader, Tassinari drew the start once again for the Mavericks in game two and she matched UCCS starting pitcher Kailey Bond with a scoreless frame to begin the game. The Mountain Lions broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning as Scott lined a one-out single to center field and stole second base before being brought home to score the first run of the game on an RBI single by Redd.
- The bottom of the second inning threatened to be a big one for the Mavericks as a walk and a pair of singles loaded the bases with no outs. The rally ended abruptly, however, as Olivia Litzen lined a ball up the middle that was snagged by Redd at shortstop, who stepped on second base and fired to first to complete an inning-ending triple play and preserve a 1-0 UCCS lead.
- Following a scoreless top of the third inning from UCCS, the Mavericks responded in the bottom half as they scored a two-out run on an RBI single by Molli Magana that evened the game at one run apiece. The game was not even for long, however, as the Mountain Lions pounced on Tassinari in the top of the fourth inning with leadoff singles from Pancost and Steinmetz preceding a three-run home run over the left field fence by McCombs that put UCCS ahead 4-1. After McCombs home run, Tassinari issued a pair of walks and the Mountain Lions capitalized on the free baserunners as an RBI double by Mackenzie Johnson and an RBI single by Goldsworth pushed the game to 6-1 in favor of the UCCS.
- Hannah Hunt entered the ballgame on the rubber in the bottom of the fourth inning and ran into trouble early as she allowed a walk and hit by pitch to the first two batters she faced before Jackie Oster lined an RBI double down the left-field line to make it a 6-2 game. With two runners in scoring position and nobody out, Sanders made the quick decision to turn the ball back over to Kunze in an effort to limit the damage. Kunze struck out the first batter she faced but went on to surrender three consecutive hits that plated three runs and cut the Mountain Lions' lead to 6-5.
- After both teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, the Mountain Lions managed to add a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh frame on sacrifice flies from Scott and Redd to extend their cushion to 8-5 heading into the bottom half of the inning.
- Kunze returned to the circle in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a leadoff single before retiring the next two batters, putting the Mountain Lions one out away from completing the series sweep. With two outs, she issued a walk to Litzen before Oster delivered a triple to left field that scored both runners and cut the lead to one. Parsons followed with a ball deep in the hole on the left side of the infield and beat out the throw from Redd, allowing the tying run to score. After the Mavericks evened the game, UCCS turned to Abby Hayes in the circle. The senior pitcher issued a walk to the first batter she faced but induced a groundout for the final out, sending the game to extra innings.
- In the top of the eighth inning, Johnson got UCCS off to a strong start as she laced a leadoff double down the left field line, but the Mountain Lions were unable to capitalize on the runner in scoring position as the game advanced to the bottom of the eighth with the score still even. The Mavericks put three of their first four batters on base in the bottom half of the frame, loading the bases with just one out. Hayes induced a ground ball to shortstop by the next hitter, but a wild throw home on the force attempt allowed the winning run to score as CMU walked off with a 9-8 victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- UCCS notched 12 hits in the series finale while surrendering 15 hits to the Mavericks.
- Goldsworth logged another three-hit game from the leadoff spot as she went 3-for-5 with an RBI. McCombs and Johnson both recorded 2-for-4 performances with McCombs driving in three runs off a double and a home run and Johnson logging a pair of doubles and one RBI.
- Redd also drove in a pair of runs in the game, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.
- Bond started inside the circle for UCCS and allowed one earned run across three innings pitched, giving up four hits and three walks while striking out two batters.
- Hunt surrendered three earned runs without recording an out as she allowed one hit, one walk, and one hit batter.
- Across 3.2 innings pitched in relief, Kunze allowed four earned runs while giving up seven hits and one walk.
- Hayes (2-3) was saddled with the loss as she allowed one unearned run in two-thirds of an inning pitched, allowing three hits and walk during her outing.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions had a nine-game winning streak snapped with their defeat in the series finale against the Mavericks.
- Goldsworth and McCombs both managed to extend their on-base streaks in Sunday's doubleheader with Goldsworth now reaching base in 20 straight games and McCombs getting on base in 14 consecutive contests.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will have a quick turnaround ahead of next week's conference series as they will head to Alamosa, Colo. on April 2-3 for a four-game set at Adams State University.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
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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.
