DENVER, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa University Softball Team took home a pair of wins this Saturday afternoon as they swept their double header against MSU Denver at Assembly Athletic Complex.
Playing their first two games today in a pair of double headers for this weekend's series, the Mavericks won game one of the day by a score of 9-3 and then followed it up with another win over the Roadrunners by a score of 8-3.
Colorado Mesa now moves to 6-6 on the season following today while improving to 4-2 in the RMAC. MSU Denver moves to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the RMAC.
Below is a short recap of each game:
GAME 1 (CMU 9, MSUD 3):
Beginning the series on a high note, the Mavs were able to capture a 9-3 victory to start the day as they enjoyed a barrage of hits from their offense totaling 14 in the game.
Chloe Valdez started the action as she opened the game with an RBI single in the first inning to give the Mavs the early 1-0 lead.
The Roadrunners responded with two runs in the first to counter the Mavs but would not score again in the game until the seventh inning.
Tying the game back up in the third inning was Ally Distler who laced a triple down the left field to bring in one run, with Valdez then following her up with a double to bring in another. Khloe Kubitscheck additionally reached on an error that inning with bases loaded bringing in another run and moving the game to 4-2.
The next two innings went scoreless before Makayla Westmoreland added to the lead with an RBI single in the sixth to wake the bats up again.
Still not satisfied, the Mavs scored four more runs in the seventh inning as they hit a pair of home runs to push the game out of reach. Jenna Salcido hit her first long ball of the season, hitting a three-run jack to bring in the first three runs with Myah Arrieta following up with a solo shot to bring in the fourth.
Leading 9-2 the Mavs conceded one run in the seventh on a double by Jaiden Geist but quickly ended any further hopes from MSU Denver as they struck out the final batter of the game to secure the victory.
Of the team's 14 hits, five Mavericks' recorded two or more, with both Arrieta and Distler leading the team with three hits apiece.
Getting the start in the circle and going the distance for Colorado Mesa was Jessalyn Gallegos as she went the complete game for the Mavericks pitching seven innings while giving up just five hits, three runs (zero earned), walking four and striking out seven en route to her second win and complete game of the season.
GAME 2 (CMU 8, MSUD 3):
Totaling another 14 hits in game two, the Mavs closed out their day with yet another win over the Roadrunners in an 8-3 victory thanks to a trio of long balls to propel the offense.
Beyond the first inning there was at least one run in every single inning with the Mavs scoring in five of them and only conceding runs to the Roadrunners in two of them to continue their dominant ways.
In the second inning, Colorado Mesa was able grab the 1-0 lead when Kamdyn Hagerty hit her first collegiate home run of the year on a solo shot.
Metro State got a run back that inning thanks to an error by the Mavs, but the tie wouldn't last long as the third and fourth innings featured the two other home runs from Colorado Mesa.
Hitting the pair of solo homers were Myah Arrieta and Ally Distler, the team's top two leaders in home runs. Arrieta's bomb was her second home run of the day while Distler's was her 50th in her career at Colorado Mesa which ranks her for third all time in school history.
Further adding to the lead in the fifth inning was the trio of Makayla Westmoreland, Bella Aragon and Olivia Litzen as each of the three tallied one RBI apiece with both Westmoreland and Litzen collecting singles on theirs.
Scoring the team's eighth and final run was Hagerty who struck again for the Mavs in the sixth inning to solidify the win as she doubled in one more run.
Trailing by seven, the Roadrunners scrapped by a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to try and make a comeback attempt but fell short as Preslee Christensen came on in relief to retire the final three batters.
Prior to Christensen's appearance, Sophia Tassinari pitched six plus innings of the game with her earning the win and moving her record to 2-2 on the season. Tassinari finished with a line of six inning pitched, seven hits, two walks and one strikeout.
Of the Mavs' 14 hit parade all nine starters recorded a hit with both Arrieta and Westmoreland leading the team with three hits each. Hagerty and Salcido finished with two apiece as well.
Colorado Mesa will finish their four-game series with MSU Denver tomorrow when they take part in another double header. Action is slated to start at 11 A.M. and can be watched on the RMAC Network with live stats available to follow along with as well.
