IRVINE, Calif. – The Colorado Mesa softball team opened the season with a pair of wins at the Concordia Kickoff Classic at Great Park on Friday (Feb. 3) afternoon. It is the first time since 2021 the Mavericks have started the season with a 2-0 record.
Colorado Mesa 2, Cal State Monterey Bay 1
Hannah Sattler pitched a complete game to lead Colorado Mesa to a 2-1 win in the season opener against Cal State Monterey Bay in their first game of the day. The junior allowed one run on six hits walked none and struck out two to earn the win.
Sattler ran into trouble in the seventh with one as one run was across, and runners were on first and second. She induced a fly out to right fielder Rylee Couch who threw out the runner, tagging from second to third, to end the game.
The Mavericks scored their first run in the third after freshman
Dakota DiPaola slapped a single to the shortstops backhand for an infield single that scored Crouch from third. With two outs in the inning, Crouch tripled to the right field corner that led to DiPaola's RBI single.
DiPaola was the lone Maverick with multiple hits.
Colorado Mesa scored their insurance run in the top of the seventh as
Makayla Westmoreland scored on
Miranda Pruitt's sacrifice fly to right field. Westmoreland, running for
Sarah Jorissen who doubled earlier in the inning, was tagging from second when the relay throw was slow and late to the plate.
Ally Alcayaga had two of the Otters six hits.
Colorado Mesa 4, Cal State East Bay 3
Sophomore
Rylee Crouch lifted an 0-1 pitch to left center field for a 3-run walk-off home run to give the Mavericks a 4-3 win over Cal State East Bay in their final game of the day at Great Park.
Colorado Mesa led 1-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning. After retiring the first two batters, the Pioneers tallied three runs on two hits to take a 3-1 lead going to the bottom half of the seventh.
Aislyn Sharp led off the bottom half with a walk followed by a
Brandi Haller bunt single.
Iliana Mendoza bunted the two runners over that led to Crouch's heroics.
Crouch was responsible for all four of the Mavericks runs as she hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead. Her and Sharp were the lone two Mavericks with multiple hits.
Kennedy Vis got the start in the circle and pitched well for six and two-thirds before running into trouble. Her final line was six and two-thirds and allowed three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out two.
Sarah Jorissen took the win in relief after getting the final out.
Colorado Mesa will take on the host and No. 19 CUI at 2:30pm followed by night matchup with Domincan at 8:00pm.
