Eagles Split Doubleheader With UCCS

Photo by Noelle Meagher CSC Sports Information

By John Murphy CSC Sports Information Director

The Chadron State College softball team split a doubleheader for the second day in a row against the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs Mountain Lions, winning game one 2-0 before falling 6-0 in game two on Saturday.

The Eagles hit two consecutive solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning in game ones 2-0 victory.

Before the fourth inning, CSC had three total hits, recording one in each inning. The Mountain Lions had only one hit.

CSC’s leadoff batter in the inning, Ashland Baca, swung on the first pitch she saw for a solo homer to left center. The Eagles next batter, Lauren Zimmerman, a junior from Reno, Nevada, doubled that effort with a solo home run to center field, giving CSC a 2-0 lead.

The Mountain Lions posed a serious threat in the top of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs. Starting pitcher Tori Haug forced a fly out, a ground out and struck out a batter to get out of the situation.

In the next inning, UCCS once again left the bases loaded. The guests had one more base runner in the game. After a leadoff single and a fielder’s choice by the CSC defense, Zimmerman and Baca, a senior from Pueblo West, Colorado, connected for a double play to put the exclamation point on the Eagle’s game one victory.

Haug, a senior from Commerce City, Colorado, improved to 3-5 overall with her shutout victory. She allowed five hits while tying her season high of seven strikeouts.

Game two was the Mountain Lions turn to pitch a shutout, defeating CSC 6-0.

UCCS gained an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a 2 RBI double.

After the next nine batters were all retired, the Mountain Lions added one more run in the top of the third inning with another RBI double. With runners on first and second, Kenzi Garner was relieved by Brooklyn Levin, who forced a fielders choice and a strikeout to retire the side.
For the third time in the game, a double scored runs for the guests, this time in the top of the fifth inning. The Mountain Lions started the inning with a double to center field before the next batter had the RBI double.

Chadron State threatened the guests 4-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when they loaded the bases. After Jessie Henchenski and Baca were both hit by pitches and Zimmerman was walked, the Mountain Lion defense forced a line out to eliminate CSC’s threat.

UCCS extended their lead to 6-0 in the top of the seventh inning. An error by the Chadron State defense allowed one run and a single scored a runner from second.

Garner received the loss in 2.1 innings of work for the Eagles. As a team, CSC had three hits and two errors compared to its opponents nine hits and zero errors.

The Eagles have another home series on March 9 and 10 when they host MSU-Denver. Saturday’s games beging at 12 and 2 p.m., while Sunday’s will start at 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.