The Chadron State College softball team extended their program record win streak to nine games and got closer to an RMAC playoff berth Thursday, after going 2-0 against CSU-Pueblo.
The wins improve CSC to 26-23 overall and 24-18 in conference play. The Thunderwolves drop to 20-29 overall and 15-25 in conference play.
The Eagles had their largest victory since February 2018 in game one, defeating the visitors 13-0 in five innings. In game two, CSC won 12-9.
On and off rain and high winds made for a chilly afternoon at the CSC softball field.
Chadron State scored at least two runs in all four innings they batted in during game one.
Scoring started in the bottom of the first on an Ashland Baca single to left field, scoring Bailey Steinke, a senior from Lakewood, Colorado.
Two batters later, Sloane Quijas, a senior from Erie, Colorado, doubled down the right field line, scoring two pinch runners, Chloe Brown and Jaelyn Martinez-Lewis.
With a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the Eagles added five more runs.
Steinke started the scoring with a single to center field, scoring J’lyssa Martinez.
An error by the Thunderwolves shortstop allowed Lauren Zimmerman to reach first, Steinke to reach third and Brady Laucomer to score.
Baca, a freshman from Pueblo West, Colorado, added her second RBI of the contest with a single that once again scored Steinke.
Like Baca, Quijas added more RBIs to her stat sheet in the inning. This time, a Quijas single to right field scored Zimmerman.
Leading 7-0, another error by the CSU-Pueblo defense added another run for CSC. Jessie Henchenski reached first on an error by the shortstop, advancing Quijas to third and scoring Baca.
Mackenzi Kroll, a junior from Brighton, Colorado, hit her first of three homeruns on the day in the bottom of the third inning.
Kroll’s first home run was for three RBIs, scoring herself, Baca and Zimmerman, giving CSC a 11-0 lead.
The final two runs for the Eagles were scored on another error by the Thunderwolves shortstop. A Zimmerman grounder was fielded by the shortstop but an errant throw allowed Laucomer and Aliyah Rothstein to score.
The Thunderwolves started the fifth inning with two consecutive singles. After two fielder’s choices resulted in the first two outs, Tori Cordova was the third out after being picked off by the Eagle defense.
Tori Haug, a junior from Commerce City, Colorado, continued her spectacular play in the pitching circle.
Haug improved to 9-14 on the season in the complete game victory. The junior allowed four hits without allowing a walk and struck out four batters.
Kroll and Quijas led the Eagles offensively in the victory, each having three RBIs.
The Eagles had 13 hits with zero errors in game one, while CSU-Pueblo finished with four hits and four errors.
The Thunderwolves took an early lead in game two when Caitlyn Cole hit a solo homer to left field in the top of the first inning.
It didn’t take long for Kroll to answer with her second homerun fof the day, this one being a grand slam.
With Steinke on third base, Martinez-Lewis on second and Brown on first, Kroll jacked a ball into center field, giving CSC a 4-1 lead.
Four more runs were added by Chadron State in the bottom of the second inning.
An error by the visitor’s defense allowed Baca to score, giving CSC a 5-1 lead.
Chadron State would extend their lead to 8-1 in the inning when Jessie Henchenski hit a three-run homer to left field, scoring Quijas and Kroll.
Zimmerman would add a solo homer in the bottom of the third to extend the Eagle lead to eight.
A two-run homerun was hit by Marissa Robertson in the top of the fourth inning, lowering the Thunderwolves’ deficit to 9-3.
Quijas added another run for CSC after a sacrifice fly by Laucomer.
Jill Bishop added a two-RBI single for the visitors in the top of the fifth inning, lowering their deficit to five.
Kroll added her third and final homerun in the bottom of the inning, this one being a two-RBI scoring Zimmerman and giving CSC a 12-5 lead. Kroll was a solo homerun short of hitting for a homerun cycle on the day.
The Thunderwolves added three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and one more in the top of the seventh but were unable to complete the comeback against the Chadron State defense.
Kenzi Garner, a sophomore from Broomfield, Colorado, received her second win of the season in her 12th appearance. In 4.1 innings, she allowed ten hits and five runs with one walk.
Game one started Tori Haug entered the game in relief of Garner, pitching 2.2 innings. Haug allowed five hits and four runs, while having two walks and two strikeouts.
CSC had 14 hits and zero errors in the victory. CSU-Pueblo finished with 15 hits and two errors.
Quijas continued her strong play in game two. The senior finished the day batting 1.000, with six hits in six at bats. She drew one walk and had three RBIs and two runs in the victory.
Chadron State will look to continue their win streak and keep pushing for a playoff berth tomorrow on senior day. Games are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Four CSC seniors and the CSU-Pueblo seniors will be recognized between games.