IRVINE, Calif.— A late-rally fell just one run short as the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks dropped their final game at the Concordia Kickoff Classic, 7-6 to San Francisco State University on Sunday morning here at Great Park.
 
The Mavs, who finished the opening tournament of the season with a 2-3 record, trailed 6-0 after three innings but scored two runs in the third, fourth and fifth to claw within a single run as the Gators (4-1) added what ended up being the critical run in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 7-2 at the time.
 
The Mavericks finished the game with a season-high ten hits and out-hit the Gators by one (10-9) as Myah Arrieta, Sarah Jorissen, Miranda Pruitt and Rylee Crouch all had multiple-hit games for CMU.
 
Freshman Kennedy Vis pitched the final three innings for the Mavs, giving up just one hit and one run as the last of three pitchers.  She retired the final nine Gators she faced.
 
The Mavs had early chances in the first two innings but stranded runners at second base while leaving three runners on in the first two innings as the Gators, the designated home team, took advantage by banging out eight of their hits, two of which were doubles, while benefitting from two Maverick errors to build the 6-0 lead.
 
CMU left eight runners on throughout the game while the Gators left just one.
 
However, the Mavs started the rally in the fourth as Pruitt doubled before scoring on a sacrifice bunt and Gator throwing error.  Ava Fugate then brought home Aislyn Sharp on a sacrifice fly to cut the game to 6-2 after 3 ½ innings.
 
Phoebe Schultz then homered to begin the bottom of the fourth with what would be the Gators' final hit.
 
The Mavs then scored two more runs in the fifth to close the gap to 7-4 as 1-out singles by Arrieta and Jorissen followed by two wild pitches and a throwing error led to the Mavs' runs.
 
CMU did leave two runners on in that inning but picked up two more runs in the sixth as Arrrieta doubled Ashley Bradford home with a 2-out double before Jorissen traded places with Arrieta to complete the scoring.
 
Crouch then hit a 1-out single in the seventh and advanced to second on a fly out but was left stranded as the Gators held on for the victory.
 
Jorissen (1-1) made her first career start in the circle and took the lost but allowed just one earned run.
 
Taylor Kelley (1-0) picked up the win for the Gators while Brooklynn Heffernan earned the save, her first of the young season, after allowing just one hit while retiring four Mavericks.
 
CMU will continue the season next weekend with some key South Central Regional contests against Eastern New Mexico, Texas A&M Kingsville and the host Lady Buffs at the West Texas Invitational in Canyon, Texas.