GOLDEN, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University softball team scored four seventh-inning runs to come from three down in a 6-5 Game 2 victory as the Mavericks salvaged a doubleheader split with the host Colorado School of Mines Orediggers in both team's final games of the regular season.
 
The Orediggers won the first game, 3-0.
 
The Mavericks finished the regular season with a 28-21 overall and went 26-15 in RMAC play, good for a .634 winning percentage.  That percentage will earn the Mavs the No. 4 seed in next week's RMAC Tournament, just behind Regis (28-16, .636).
 
The Mavs had three RMAC games canceled this season, including two with the Orediggers on Friday, while Regis was able to play their entire 44-game conference slate.
 
Saturday's split left the Orediggers with a 25-24 overall record and a 24-16 conference mark.  They will be the No. 5 seed in the tournament and will take on the Mavs in the opening round on Thursday in nearby Lakewood at All-Star Park.  That game is tentatively set for 9 a.m.
 
Colorado Christian (52-4, 42-2) will host the tournament as the No. 1 seed.
 
MSU Denver finished second in the conference standings at 29-13 while Chadron State (25-19) took three of four games from CSU Pueblo this weekend to earn the sixth and final seed.  The Eagles will begin the double-elimination tournament against Regis on Thursday while Colorado Christian and MSU Denver will have first round byes before taking on the winners of the first two games.
 
Game 1
 
Mines lefty Sadriena Rodriguez dealt with the normally potent lineup, striking out 11 Mavericks while allowing just one bunt single and two walks in her shutout effort.
 
Meanwhile, the Orediggers got all then offense they would need in the opening two innings as a Kayleigh Krueger single and ensuing error in center field gave Mines a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
 
They then scored two runs in the second inning, one thanks to a throwing error and then second on a bases-loaded walk.
 
In between, Rylee Crouch drew a lead-off walk for the Mavs in the top of the second before Iliana Mendoza recorded her bunt single two plays later.  However, the Mavs left two runners on base.  They also left two on in the sixth as Rodriguez and the Orediggers cruised to the win.
 
Game 2
 
The Mavs struck first in the top of the second as Sarah Jorissen recorded an RBI infield single to score Miranda Pruitt, who had led off the inning with a single before moving to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt.
 
However, the Orediggers came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the second.
 
They then extended the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third and two 5-1 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
 
However, the Mavs pulled one back in the top of the fifth as Crouch delivered an RBI single to left before the Orediggers got out of the inning without further damage thanks to a double play.
 
The Mavs then stranded two runners in the sixth but came roaring back in the seventh off reliever Cassidy Chvatal, who started the inning.
 
Pruitt started the rally with a 2-run homer to left after Aislyn Sharp drew a lead-off walk.  That blast, her 12th of the season, made the score 5-4.
 
Jorrissen was then hit by a pitch before pinch-runner Dakota DiPaola stole second.  After walks by Ava Fugate and Makayla Westmoreland book-ending a Mines pitching change to original starter Allison Westbrook, the Mavs had the bases loaded with one out.
 
Mendoza then delivered a sacrifice fly to score DiPaola, who tied the game.
 
Freshman Bella Aragon then beat out an infield single as the ball got away from the Oredigger first baseman allowing Fugate to round third and score the eventual winning run.
 
Hannah Sattler, who came in on relief in the fourth inning, then retired the Orediggers in order to close out the victory.  She pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief and struck out four Orediggers to record her 14^th win of the season.
 
After being shut down in the first game, the Mavs combined for 12 hits against the trio of Oredigger pitchers.  Aragon, Sharp, Pruitt and Westmoreland all had two while Ashley Bradford was hit by two pitches while drawing another walk.