GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Five different Mavericks hit home runs while Ellie Smith picked up two pitching wins to help lead the Colorado Mesa University softball team to their 16^th and 17^th consecutive wins over visiting Northern State University on Wednesday night here at the CMU Softball Stadium.
 
The Mavericks hit three home runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one and then used a walk-off triple by lead-off hitter Ashley Bradford to win 5-4.  Smith, who picked up the first game win in relief, then allowed just five hits and an unearned run as she and the Mavericks controlled the second game from the start to cruise to a 6-1 victory.
 
With the non-conference doubleheader sweep, the Mavs improved to 18-4 overall.  NSU of Aberdeen, South Dakota, fell to 8-12 wrapping up a 3-day, 6-game swing through the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference territory with a 2-4 mark.
 
Wednesday's games were the first two ever played between the teams.
 
Game 1
 
After spotting the Wolves a first inning run, Myah Arrieta and Smith hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the first before Ally Distler later added a 2-run bomb as CMU took a 4-1 first game lead.
 
The Wolves then clawed the way back and scored two unearned runs in the third before tying the game on a Alexandria Arndt homer in the top of the sixth.
 
The Mavs then left a runner at second in the bottom of the sixth before Smith came on as CMU's third pitcher of the game for the top of the seventh, needing just five pitches to get three groundouts.
 
That set the table for the Mavs as Rylee Crouch singled before being retired at second on a Iliana Mendoza fielder's choice sacrifice bunt attempt.
 
Bradford then hit a gapper to right center as Mendoza raced all the way around from first to beat the throw to the plate for the winning-run.
 
Bradford's triple was the seventh hit of the game for the Mavs, who finished with the slightest of 7-6 advantages.  Their first three hits were all homers off starting pitcher Reagan Elrod, who was quickly replaced by Meghan Anderson.
 
Anderson was efficient throwing just 64 pitches in six innings of relief.  She was particularly deadly with her rise ball and struck out six Mavericks while giving up just four hits.
 
Meanwhile, Maverick starter Shea Mauser surrendered just four hits and one earned run in four innings while striking out four Wolves.  She then gave way to Paige Adair, who made her first appearance in nearly a month due to injury.  Adair tossed two innings and had two strikeouts while giving up just two hits, one of which was the Arndt homer.
 
Neither figured into the decision as Smith was the victor.
 
Distler finished 2-for-3 in the game to lead the Mavs while Liv Richardson was 2-for-2 with a walk to pace the Wolves.
 
Game 2
 
The Mavs scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the first to quickly take an early 2-0 lead.
 
Bradford reached second on a throwing error to begin the bottom of the first before Arrieta beat out a bunt single that Bradford alertly scored on.  Distler then hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate Bradford later in the inning.
 
Meanwhile, Smith retired six of seven Wolves in a 3-run early-game span as Mendoza hit a RBI single through the left side to score Crouch, who had hit a 1-out infield single to begin the bottom of the second.
 
The Wolves were able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth taking advantage of a Maverick error to score what would be their only run.
 
However, the Mavs got that run back and more in the bottom of the fifth when Ava Fugate hit a 2-run shot to deep right to increase the Mavs' lead to 5-1.
 
Nicole Christensen then hit a solo shot to the roof of the center field party deck in the sixth as the Mavericks went up 6-1 to complete the scoring.
 
Smith then retired the Wolves in order in the seventh to collect the complete game win.  She is now 9-2.
 
Anderson, who fell below .500 to 5-6, had another strong effort before fading in the end as she ended up with the loss after giving up ten hits six runs, four of which were earned in 5 2/3 innings.  She threw 11 2/3 of the 12 1/3 innings that the Wolves played defensively and struck out 15 total Mavericks while keeping the Wolves in both of the games.
 
Arrieta, Fugate and Crouch all had 2-hit games in the night-cap as the Mavs reached double-figures (10) for hits for the seventh time in the last eight games.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavericks (18-4, 10-0 RMAC) will return to RMAC play this weekend as they take their winning streak, the second longest active streak in Division II, and conference lead to Alamosa to face Adams State University in a 4-game weekend set.  The Grizzlies claimed a non-conference doubleheader sweep over visiting New Mexico Highlands on Wednesday and are now 8-15 overall.  They are 3-9 in RMAC play.
 
The two teams will play a doubleheader at noon on Saturday and another at 11 a.m. on Sunday.