Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
ALAMOSA, Colo. – Chadron State softball closed out its 2026 season with a pair of close defeats to Adams State, falling to the Grizzlies 4-3 in nine innings and 3-2 in regulation.
With the two losses to the Grizzlies (13-31, 14-40 RMAC), Chadron State concludes its season at 6-47 overall and 6-38 in the RMAC. Including Saturday’s two defeats, the Eagles lost a total of 21 RMAC games by two runs or less.
Elizabeth Thorngren, one of five Chadron State seniors, had another strong day after previously recording three extra base hits and four RBI on Friday. Thorngren had another three-hit game in Saturday’s opener and added a double in game two, driving home a run in each contest.
Thorngren ends the regular season as the Chadron State team leader in hits (41) and extra-base hits (13 – nine doubles, two triples, two home runs). Four of her extra-base hits came in this weekend’s series.
CSC received productive pitching performances as well. Brynn Trujillo threw the entirety of game one, throwing a season-high 8.2 innings and striking out eight while allowing four runs on seven hits. The Eagles split game two between Belle Akins, who threw her 13th complete game of the season on Friday, and McKenna Sides.
Akins did not allow an earned run in three innings (two unearned), countering four hits and a walk allowed with five strikeouts. Akins, who crossed 100 strikeouts in the 2026 season during Friday’s start, finishes 2026 with 106 punchouts (ranking third in the RMAC) in 137.1 innings pitched (fifth in the RMAC).
For the second consecutive day, the opening game between the Eagles and ASU needed extra innings to settle, with the home team walking it off in the bottom of the ninth. Adams State scored three in the first inning before Trujillo kept them off the board for seven consecutive frames.
Chadron State had a textbook offensive start, with Charley Pitrat leading off with a single, Macie Selfors bunted her into scoring position and Thorngren singling her home. The Eagles scored next on another two-out single in the fifth inning, with Brianna Cordray coming through to score Thorngren from second.
CSC tied it in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Madison Sebbo and Elia DeLozier (on a bunt) put two runners on for Katelynn Czerpak. The Eagles center fielder bounced to short and the Grizzlies went to second base for the force out. Czerpak beat the return throw to first to reach on a fielder’s choice, but the throw went into the CSC dugout, awarding pinch-runner Izzy Thomas home plate on the throwing error.
After Adams State won game one in the ninth, Chadron State would score first again in game two. In the third inning, Pitrat singled to lead off before scoring on Thorngren’s double to right field. A wild pitch moved Thorngren to third before Amber Boland singled a second run home.
The Grizzlies capitalized on multiple Eagle throwing errors to tie the score 2-2 in the bottom of the third, then took the lead on a one-out triple followed by a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Chadron State managed a one-out single in both the sixth and seventh innings, but could not score.
In addition to Thorngren’s hot-hitting finish, graduating seniors Brogan Allen and Katelynn Czerpak each had multi-hit games in game two to conclude their careers while Madison Sebbo went 2-for-6 with a double across Saturday’s games.
