ALAMOSA, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team exploded for a total of 30 runs on Friday as they completed a four-game series sweep over the Adams State University Grizzlies with a 13-6 win in the first game of the day and a 17-3 run-rule victory in the series finale.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 13, ASU 6 | Game 2: UCCS 17, ASU 3 (6 innings)
Records: UCCS (24-13, 18-10 RMAC), ASU (7-31, 6-22 RMAC)
Location: ASU Softball Field | Alamosa, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 77-56 all-time against the Grizzlies.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions wasted little time getting on the scoreboard to begin the third game of the series as Jennavieve Goldsworth drew a leadoff walk in the first inning and came around to score two batters later on an RBI double down the left field line by Gianna Pancost. In the bottom of the first, UCCS starting pitcher Autumn Kunze opened her outing with walk to Denae Ojeda and saw the Grizzlies' leadoff hitter eventually come around to score on a throwing error, evening the game at one run apiece. With two outs in the inning, Kunze's control got away from her as she dealt back-to-back walks to load the bases before surrendering a bases-clearing double to Ali Davis, resulting in three more unearned runs and a 4-1 lead for Adams State.
- After extending their lead to 5-1 with an RBI single by Caylie Eiguren in the top of the second inning, the Grizzlies kept things rolling in the top of the third with a leadoff triple from Raegan Johnson and an RBI single by Emily Sauvageau making it a 6-1 game and ending Kunze's outing. UCCS relief pitcher Charlee Hoover entered the game in relief of Kunze and quickly settled things down, striking out the first hitter she faced before inducing a double play ball to finish the inning.
- In the top of the fourth inning, the Mountain Lions got two of their first three hitters on base with a single from Addy Baxter and a walk by Tayler McCombs before scoring a run on a single by Halley Redd to cut the deficit to 6-2. Laynee Case stepped up to the plate next and brought UCCS even closer as she delivered a two-RBI single to bring the Mountain Lions within two runs at 6-4.
- Following a scoreless frame by Hoover in the bottom half of the fourth, UCCS continued to mount their comeback in the top of the fifth as singles by Goldsworth and Pancost and a walk by Alyssa Gutierrez put the Mountain Lions in a bases-loaded situation with nobody out. The middle of the Mountain Lions' lineup took full advantage of the opportunity as Baxter brought home a pair of runs with a double to left field to tie the game at six before an RBI single by McCombs gave UCCS a 7-6 lead. UCCS added one more run in the frame with a sacrifice fly by Redd capping a four-run inning that flipped the score in favor of the Mountain Lions, 8-6.
- The Mountain Lions continued to add on to their cushion in the top of the sixth inning as Jacqueline Berkowitz led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to third base on a stolen base and a throwing error before scoring on an RBI single by Goldsworth to make it a 9-6 ballgame. After Gutierrez drew a walk to put a pair of runners aboard, Pancost came through with a two-RBI single to right field that brought home two more runs and pushed the Mountain Lions' lead to 11-6.
- A two-RBI single by Katie Steinmetz in the top of the seventh inning pushed the UCCS advantage to seven runs and Hoover continued to excel on the rubber in the bottom half of the frame, striking out three more Grizzlies to finish off a 13-6 victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded 13 hits and drew five walks in the first game of Friday's doubleheader.
- Pancost had a huge performance out of the three-hole in the lineup, going 3-for-4 with a double and a team-leading three RBIs. Goldsworth, Baxter, and Case each notched two-hit lines at the plate with Baxter and Case each driving in two runs and Goldsworth recording one RBI.
- UCCS continued their trend of being extremely active on the basepaths against the Grizzlies as they stole six bases, including two from Goldsworth and one apiece from McCombs, Redd, Case, and Berkowitz.
- Kunze started the game inside the circle for UCCS and surrendered six runs (two earned) through two innings of work while allowing five hits and three walks in addition to a pair of strikeouts.
- Hoover (4-2) pitched five strong relief innings for the Mountain Lions and collected her fourth win of the season as she held the Grizzlies scoreless on three hits and three walks while racking up eight strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions began their series finale at Adams State with a pair of quick baserunners as Goldsworth led off the game with a walk that was followed by an infield single from Gutierrez and a passed ball that put both players in scoring position. The middle of the lineup cashed in both runners for UCCS as Pancost and Steinmetz lifted back-to-back sacrifice flies, putting the Mountain Lions ahead 2-0 after half an inning of action.
- Following a scoreless second inning from both teams, the Mountain Lions added a run to their tally with an RBI double off the bat of Steinmetz in the top of the third inning, but the Grizzlies responded in the home half of the frame with an RBI triple by Isabel Rodriguez making it a 3-1 game.
- Goldsworth sparked another run-scoring rally in the top of the fifth inning as she led off the frame with a triple to the left center field gap and came across to score after the Adams State shortstop committed an error on a ground ball by Gutierrez. Two batters later, Steinmetz placed a triple into the right field corner that brought Gutierrez across home plate, giving the Mountain Lions a 5-1 advantage. McCombs kept the good times rolling after Steinmetz's hit as she surged all the way around the bases for an inside the park home run that extended the cushion to six runs at 7-1.
- After the Grizzlies scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth run to cut the Mountain Lions' lead to 7-3, UCCS responded with an offensive explosion in the top half of the sixth as they strung together nine hits and took advantage of a pair of defensive errors to score 10 runs, breaking the game open with a 17-3 lead.
- Janessa Giugliano entered the game in relief of the Mountain Lions' starting pitcher, Kailey Bond, in the bottom of the sixth inning and made quick work of the Grizzlies to finish off the series sweep in a 17-3 run-rule victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions racked up 19 hits in the final game of the series with five different players recording multi-hit performances.
- Goldsworth put together a 4-for-4 showing out of the leadoff spot in the lineup with one double, one triple, one RBI, and two stolen bases.
- McCombs had a 3-for-4 line at the plate with a home run and three RBIs, while Redd also went 3-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Five different UCCS student-athletes had three RBIs in the game, including McCombs, Gutierrez, Pancost, Steinmetz, and Case.
- Bond (7-4) earned her seventh win of the season as she allowed three earned runs across five innings pitched while striking out three hitters.
- Giugliano also pitched a scoreless inning for the Mountain Lions, surrendering just one hit and recording one strikeout.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions' offense was firing on all cylinders throughout their series at Adams State as they scored a total of 54 runs across the four games for an average of 13.5 per game. As a team, UCCS posted a .470 batting average in the series with 21 extra base hits, including 10 doubles, nine triples, and two home runs.
- Across 153 total plate appearances in the series, the Mountain Lions did not strike out a single time.
- On the basepaths, the Mountain Lions went 22-for-24 in stolen base attempts throughout the set in Alamosa.
- Goldsworth extended her on-base streak to 24 games and her hitting streak to 13 games. In the series, the junior utility player recorded an .813 batting average (13-for-16) with two doubles, three, triples, three RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
- McCombs also extended her on-base streak to 18 consecutive games with another strong day at the plate. In the series, she hit .533 (8-for-15) with two triples, a home run, and eight RBIs.
UP NEXT
- UCCS will return home to Mountain Lion Field next weekend for a four-game series against Colorado State University Pueblo on April 10-11. The first 75 fans in attendance on Friday, April 10 will receive a free t-shirt as part of the program's annual White Out Series promotion.
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.
