GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa University Softball Team concluded their series with the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves this afternoon as the Mavericks were able to take the final two games of the series winning three out of four at CMU Softball Field.
The Mavs won the first game of the day by a commanding score of 7-1 before having to win in a walk off fashion again in game two as they won 5-4.
With the series win the Mavs have now won five straight series in conference play and have jumped up to second place in the RMAC standings. They sit just one game behind Colorado Christian and are half a game above MSU Denver.
Colorado Mesa improves to 25-9 (23-5 RMAC) following this weekend with CSU Pueblo moving to 20-15 (19-9 RMAC) and staying in fourth place.
Below is a short recap of each game:
GAME 1 (CMU 7, CSUP 1):
Looking to secure the split at minimum with a win to start the day, the Mavericks were able to use three innings of two runs or more to secure the victory with the team backing up Preslee Christensen who pitched to a complete game.
Over the seven inning contest the Mavs scored in the first, third and fifth innings with the team's lead continually growing.
In the first, they jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with both runs coming from long balls as the pair of Myah Arrieta and Ally Distler both hit solo shots to open the game.
The pair then were able to reach base again in the third inning with both of them coming around to score on a two RBI single to center field from Brynn Escobar.
Leading 4-0, the ThunderWolves got one run back in the fourth inning from two doubles but couldn't muster anymore offense the rest of the game as they were limited to just five hits.
Tacking onto their lead once more in the fifth inning, the Mavs put up a final three spot to help solidify the win as they used a two-run single from Khloe Kubitschek to start, with Bella Aragon then driving in the other run on a groundout to shortstop.
With the offense keeping pressure on the Thunderwolves all game, Christensen was able to cruise her way to her fifth win of the season in the circle as the senior went all seven innings of the game while giving up just five hits, one run, one walk and striking out three. She beat CSUP's ace, McKenna James, in the act who dropped to 10-6 with the loss.
Totaling eight hits on offense, the Mavs were led by the duo of Kubitschek and Escobar who each had two hits apiece. Both finished two RBIs to accompany Arrieta and Distler who had one apiece from their home runs.
Makayla Westmoreland, Kubitschek and Aragon also totaled one stolen base each in the game with Westmoreland now at eight bags on the season.
GAME 2 (CMU 5, CSUP 4):
In what had a very different outcome from game one of the day, the Mavericks squeaked by a win in their final game of the series as they used a seventh inning rally and blunder by the ThunderWolves to win by walk off for the second time this weekend.
Prior the seventh inning action, much of the game was characterized by another pitching duel as both team's played tight through the first six innings with only three runs total being scored.
Colorado Mesa scored two of those runs with one coming each in the second and third innings.
Chloe Valdez brought in the run in the second inning on a successful "get them on, get them over, get them in" strategy with her hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Brynn Escobar who reached on a walk and then was moved eventually to third on a sacrifice bunt from Khloe Kubitschek.
In the third inning it was Ally Distler who brought in the other run as she singled in Cailynn Parsons who reached earlier in the inning on a single as well.
The final third run that came prior to the seventh inning action was a solo shot home run from the Thunderwolves in the fifth inning by Caitlyn Cole.
The Mavs were just three outs away from the win entering the seventh, but the Thunderwolves had other plans as they scored three runs in the top of the inning.
Bringing seven batters to the plate, the Pack used four hits in their attack to take the lead.
Delaney Barela had the first hit in a single to right field with her then reaching third base on an error. Barela was then driven in by Madelyn Huerta who doubled to left center. Cole followed with a single after to bring runners to the corners.
Darleen Falcon was next with her hitting into a fielder's choice to shortstop which resulted in Myah Arrieta making a throw home to tag out the runner. Arrieta's run saving play was huge but short lived as Cali Cole then followed that at bat with her doubling to left center as well to drive in another run.
Gallegos finally stopped the damage shortly after as she got the last batter to foul out to first base and allow for CMU to trail by just one.
With the opportunity to go for another walk off now the Mavs did just that as they created their own rally as well in the bottom of the seventh.
Parsons started the rally with her hitting a single to lead off and then was followed up two batters later by Arrieta who doubled to drive her in. Tied now at four, both Makayla Westmoreland and Ally Distler were able to work walks to get on with the bases now loaded for the next batter.
Brynn Escobar was the batter who came to the plate with freshman hitting a groundball to second base to which the ThunderWolves' player made two consecutive errors and ultimately led both Arrieta and Westmoreland to score for the walk off win.
In total only six hits were managed by the Mavs with Parsons being the only player to have more than one.
Jessalyn Gallegos, who went the distance and more yesterday, did just that today again as she earned the win for Colorado Mesa going all seven innings. The victory marked her 12th win of the season with her finishing with a line of seven innings pitched, eight hits, four runs, four walks and four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Mavericks return to the road this next week as they continue conference play when they head south to Durango to take on the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks. Play is set for Saturday and Sunday, April 5
th and 6
th with action beginning at noon on Saturday at Aspen Field.
