GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa University Softball Team welcomed the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls this weekend in a four game conference series, with the Mavericks taking the opening two games today at CMU Softball Field.

The Mavericks outscored the Cowgirls 13-7 on the day with Colorado Mesa winning game one 7-2, before fighting off a comeback in game two to win 6-5.

With the two wins today, the Mavs move their win streak to six on the season as they improved to 12-8 overall and 10-4 in the RMAC. The Cowgirls dropped to 8-15 while sitting at just 2-12 in the RMAC.

Both teams will finish the series tomorrow when they begin their second doubleheader of the weekend at 11 AM. Both games are available to watch through the RMAC Network with live stats also available to follow along with. Tickets can be purchased in person or online at cmumavericks.com/tickets.

Below is a short recap of each game:

GAME 1 (CMU 7, NMHU 2):

The first game of the day featured a tight ball game for the first three and a half innings, before Colorado Mesa made their offensive charge scoring five runs over the final three innings to handily beat the Cowgirls 7-2.

The Mavs went down early to start the game as they gave up two runs in the first inning from a pair of back-to-back doubles but were able to respond quickly as they got those two runs back in the second inning.

The Mavs tallied three straight hits to start the inning with Jenna Salcido being the key player who drove in the two runs on an RBI double.

The third inning kept the game tied at two apiece with the Mavs ultimately making their push in the fourth inning.

In the fourth, Jackie Oster led the inning off with a triple before being driven in by Khloe Kubitscheck for the first run with Kamdyn Hagerty singling to follow. Myah Arrieta stepped up to the plate next in the order with her launching a two-run home run to the bleachers in center field to push the lead to three.

Colorado Mesa added one run in the fifth and one run in the sixth after for insurance with both Brynn Escobar and Salcido each collecting the RBIs to help solidify the win.

Following the first inning, the Cowgirls only collected five hits the rest of the game to counter the Mavs, but were plagued by errors as they finished with three.

Going the distance for the Mavs and completing her fifth game of the season was redshirt freshman Jessalyn Gallegos, who pitched all seven innings in the win, while only allowing seven hits and two runs through 33 batters faced. In addition, she set a new career-high for herself in the game as she struck out 12 batters, with five Cowgirls striking out at least two times against her. Her 12-strikeout performance is tied for the fifth highest single game record in program history.

In the win the Mavs also collected nine hits total, with Kubitscheck going 3-3 to lead the team. Myah Arrieta and Kamdyn Hagerty also collected two hits apiece to round out the team's balanced offensive attack.

GAME 2 (CMU 6, NMHU 5):

Concluding the day on another win, The Mavs used a late rally in the final two innings to comeback from a two-run deficit and secure the win by a score of 6-5.

Through three innings of work the Mavs led the Cowgirls 2-0 thanks to production from Chloe Valdez as the junior scored on a wild pitch in the first and then drove in another run on an RBI double in the third.

Starter Sophia Tassinari allowed one run back to the Cowgirls in the fourth inning to close the deficit by one, before New Mexico Highlands erupted for three runs in the fifth after a pitching change.

The Cowgirls brought seven different players up to the plate in the fifth with four of them successfully reaching base. Two singles and a wild pitch brought in the three runs with New Mexico Highlands leading 4-2 now.

Despite having the lead, the two-run difference was short lived  as in the bottom of the fifth inning Colorado Mesa tied it right back up with them tacking on two runs in return.

Ally Distler, Valdez, and Khloe Kubitscheck all collected hits in the inning with Kubitscheck bringing the first run in on an RBI single. She was followed up by Jessalyn Gallegos who worked a 3-2 count to a walk to bring in the other run.

Putting up a much needed zero in the top of the sixth inning, Colorado Mesa then tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to more clutch work from Kubitsheck who drove in a pair on a two RBI single.

Needing just three outs to close the game now, reliever Kamdyn Hagerty was able to maneuver around a run and two hits in the top of the seventh as the Mavs finally sealed the deal on a strikeout to end the game.

Hagerty earned the win in relief for the Mavs going 2.2 innings of one-run ball while allowing just two hits and striking out three. Tassinari earned the no decision in her start as she went four innings while only giving up one run as well.

Three Mavs recorded multi-hits in the win with the trio of Valdez, Makayla Westmoreland and Kubitscheck leading the team. Kubitscheck also led all players in the game with three RBIs herself.