CHADRON, Neb.— The Colorado Mesa University Softball team extended their winning streak to 16 games as they scored 13 runs in the top of the third inning to win the first game via the mercy-rule by a 16-4 margin before an Alexa Samuels 2-run homer in the top of the fifth helped give the Mavericks a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the host Chadron State College Eagles in the second on Sunday afternoon here at the CSC Softball Stadium.
 
The victories allowed the Mavericks to sweep the 4-game weekend series and improve to 31-6 overall and to 24-3 in RMAC play.  They also got a bit of help UCCS, which won the final game of a home series with Colorado Christian on Sunday giving the nation's 14^th-ranked Maverick a little more breathing room atop the RMAC standings.  CCU is now 2 ½ games behind and with one more loss than the Mavericks at 20-4 in conference play. 
 
Both teams have 12 scheduled RMAC games remaining, including two against each other in a regular-season ending pod in Lakewood.
 
Game 1
 
The Mavericks quickly took the lead as Kellie Mrofcza hit a solo home run with just one out in the top of the first before the Eagles answered back with a 2-run homer of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Neither team would score in the second before the Mavericks exploded for their huge inning in the top of the third.  All nine Mavericks in the lineup came to the plate twice and combined to face three Eagle pitchers, who each got one out in the frame. 
 
AnnMarie Torres, Lauren Wedman and Bailey Kleespies all had run-scoring doubles in the inning which saw seven consecutive Mavericks reach base.  Mrofcza and Torres also had back-to-back 2-run singles while the Mavericks drew six walks and were hit by a pitch in that inning alone.
 
With a 14-2 lead, the Mavericks were able to go to their bench and made four substitutions, including Shea Mauser who pitched two innings while allowing just one hit in relief of starting pitcher Kimbri Herring, who needed just 45 pitches and three innings to record her 14^th win over the year.  Herring struck out five Eagles and gave up just four hits and four runs.
 
The Mavericks finished the 5-inning game with 10 hits as Mrofcza and Torres both went 2-for-4 with three RBIs a piece.  They also scored five combined runs.  Brooke Doumer also had three RBIs and went 1-for-2 with a double while drawing a pair of walks, including an intentional bases loaded walk in the third.
 
Game 2
 
As in the first game, the Mavericks took an early 1-0 lead as Mrofcza hit a 1-out single before moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on a Torres single up the middle. 
 
And once again, the Eagles came back with two runs of their own in the bottom half, this time via a 2-run single by Kayla Michel.
 
The Mavericks would answer right back as Jordyn Hays and Sarah Staudle both singled before Wedman brought Hays home with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2.  After a walk to Ashley Bradford, Doumer then singled home Staudle giving the Mavericks a 3-2 lead.
 
However, that lead would be short-lived as the Eagles scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the second taking a 5-3 lead on a 2-run single by Haleigh Hoefs.
 
Neither team would score in the third of fourth innings.  However, that all changed in the fifth as the Mavericks took advantage of two Eagle errors and Samuels' go-ahead home run, her eighth of the campaign.
 
Meanwhile, McKenzie Surface came on to relieve Mauser for the third inning and was nearly perfect in five innings of work.  She struck out six Eagles and allowed just one base-runner on a third inning walk as she retired each of the last 14 Eagles she faced to improve to 13-0 on the season.
 
The Mavericks finished the game with seven hits as Staudle went 2-for-3 to lead the way.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavericks will return home to the CMU Softball Stadium for their next eight games.  They host Regis and CSU-Pueblo in a pod next weekend playing at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.  The two opponents will also face each other at noon on both days.