ALAMOSA, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University softball team hit seven home runs as they extended their winning streak to 21 games with a pair of 5-inning mercy-rule victories over host Adams State University on Sunday at the ASU Softball Field.
 
The Mavericks improved to 22-4 overall and remained a perfect 14-0 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with the 13-2 and 12-0 victories as Ashley Bradford and Ally Distler homered in both games.  Meanwhile, Paige Adair and Ellie Smith combined for a 3-hit shutout in the second game of the day and the fourth of the series.
 
The Mavericks recorded two shutouts during the weekend set and out-scored the Grizzlies, 48-7.
 
They hit .475 with 56 hits, including 12 doubles, five triples and eight home runs, throughout the series.  Eight different Mavericks had .500 or better batting averages throughout the weekend.
 
The Mavs have now won 23 straight games over the Grizzlies, ending 12 of the last 13 early.  The lone exception was a 10-0 win that went the distance on Saturday afternoon.
 
Game 1
 
The Mavericks scored early and often as Bradford hit a lead-off homer before Distler hit a 2-run shot later in the top of the first.  Adding another run in that inning on an error, the Mavs then went on to score six more times in the top of the second as a Nicole Christensen blasted a 3-run homer to center.
 
The Mavs also scored twice in the fourth as reserves Rylee Crouch and Brooklyn Corns delivered run-scoring hits.  Crouch's was a double.
 
Trailing 12-0 at that point, the Grizzlies did get on the board in the bottom of the fourth with two runs before Crouch had another RBI single in the fifth to complete the scoring and help implement the mercy-rule as Maverick pitcher Shea Mauser overcame a lead-off error to retire three straight in the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Mavericks finished the game with 13 hits, including three home runs and two doubles.  Ten different Mavs recorded at least one while Bradford, Crouch and Lauren Wedman all finished with two.  Ten different Mavericks scored as well as Distler, who had just one at bat, and Christensen finished with three RBIs.
 
Meanwhile, Mauser gave up just three hits while striking out seven to improve to 6-1 on the season.
 
Game 2
 
The Mavs were held off the scoreboard in the first inning but exploded for seven runs in the second as they dominated the contest.
 
Brandi Haller began the scoring spree with a 3-run homer before a wild pitch allowed the Mavs to score their fourth run.  Myah Arrieta then doubled Bradford home to make it 5-0 before Smith hit a 2-run shot to complete the inning's score-fest.
 
Kaley Barker led off the inning and had two singles in it.
 
The Mavs then scored two more runs in the third as Bradford hit her second home run of the day to extend the Mavs lead to 9-0.
 
The Mavs then punctuated the series sweep in the fifth as Distler pinch-hit for Bradford and hit a 3-run shot over the center field fence.  Distler had nine RBIs in the series.
 
Meanwhile, Adair retired nine of the ten Grizzlies she faced, including five on strikes over the first three innings of what was her first start since Feb. 19.  She then gave way to Smith, who pitched the final two scoreless innings.
 
Bradford went 3-for-3 with a double and home run in the game as ten different Mavericks combined for 14 hits.  She was 5-for-6 with four extra-base hits in the doubleheader and hit .643 (9-14) with five runs scored throughout the series.
 
Up Next

The Mavericks will now return home to face Regis University (20-11, 14-2 RMAC) in a key RMAC series next Saturday and Sunday. The Rangers have won five straight games and are just a game behind the Mavericks in the conference standings. 
 
Colorado Christian (23-5, 13-1 RMAC) is also just a game back.