Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
PUEBLO, Colo. – Chadron State softball earned a split on the first day of RMAC conference play, falling 8-0 to CSU Pueblo but rebounding to knock off the ThunderWolves 3-2 in the nightcap.
Ashland Baca came through with an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning of game two, completing a come-from-behind effort after the Eagles fell behind 2-0 early. After allowing two runs, just one earned, in the second inning, Kenzi Garner steadied the ship and threw a complete game while allowing just three hits.
With Sunday’s results, the Eagles are now 4-2 on the season overall with the 1-1 record in conference play. CSU Pueblo is now 2-7 and 1-1.
The Eagles offense was stifled in the opening game against ThunderWolves starter Mia Sanchez, who allowed just five hits in five innings while striking out six. The Pack scored two runs in the first and four in the second before adding on two runs in the fifth to trigger the run rule.
Reigning RMAC Pitcher of the Week Tori Haug took her first loss of the season, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
For a moment, it appeared that game two could be more of the same after Pueblo scored twice in the bottom of the second, with first baseman Isabella Hewitt reaching on a throwing error to drive in a run, advancing all the way to third base and then scoring on a safety squeeze as the Eagles got the out at first to give the ThunderWolves a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles responded, however, tallying two runs in the top of the third to even the score. Katelynn Czerpak and J’lyssa Martinez led off the inning with back-to-back singles to set the table for No. 3 hitter Lauren Zimmermann, who singled up the middle to score Czerpak and cut the deficit to 2-1.
After an Ashland Baca walk prompted the ThunderWolves to switch pitchers, reliever Makenna James nearly wriggled out of the jam by striking out the first two hitters she faced. But with two outs, Sydney Loyet came through with a base hit to left, scoring pinch-runner Devyn Thornton to even the score.
The score remained knotted at 2-2 until the sixth. With two outs and nobody on, J’lyssa Martinez reached on an error and Zimmerman extended the inning with a single. Baca swung at the first pitch and lined in past a diving second baseman into right-center field for the tiebreaking single, giving CSC its first lead of the series.
In the meantime, Garner was excellent, earning the win to improve her record to 1-1. Garner allowed just one hit over the game’s final five innings and retired the last nine Pueblo hitters.
The two teams will meet for two more contests on Monday, with game one set for 11 a.m. and game two to follow at approximately 1 p.m. on the RMAC Network