LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Battling in yet another pair of their toughest games of the season the Colorado Mesa University Softball Team played to a series split against Colorado Christian University this afternoon at All Star Park.
Splitting both pairs of the doubleheaders the Mavericks closed out their weekend with both a win and loss today as only a total of 10 runs were scored.
Following a 6-2 loss in the first game of the doubleheader the Mavs bounced back in game two to win 2-0 thanks to a three-hitter shutout from Preslee Christensen. With the game four win the Mavs stay closely contested with first place of the RMAC standings after this weekend as they are a half game behind MSU Denver who's in first place currently. CCU stays in third place at one game behind.
Colorado Mesa is now 31-11 (29-7 RMAC) with CCU moving to 32-14 (28-8 RMAC) as both teams are still vying for the conference championship title.
Below is a short recap of each game:
GAME 1 (CMU 2, CCU 6):
Falling short in the opening game of the day, the Mavericks played a tight contest for the full seven innings to only lose by four but in the loss saw the deciding factor for the Cougars be a trio of long balls.
The Cougars hit home runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings of the game with Camryn Quilling hitting two of them to drive in three runs.
Colorado Mesa pitching never allowed more than two runs in any of those innings but the consistent scoring was too much to muster as the Mavs offense was stifled by CCU's pitching who limited the team to just eight hits.
In the second inning, the Cougars got their two runs from the solo shot home run and a single to center field to lead early.
The Mavs tacked one run back in the third inning on a squeeze bunt single by Myah Arrieta to trail by just one but saw their inning end shortly after as the Cougars recorded a pair of quick outs to follow.
In the fourth and fifth innings the two other home runs came to score the final three runs for the Cougars.
Attempting to make a last chance rally in the seventh inning, Colorado Mesa was able to snag another run in as Chloe Valdez recorded an RBI on a fielder's choice, but the rally didn't last long as the Mavs struck out in their next batter to end the game.
Piecing the Mavs pitching staff in the game was three different arms who all went an inning or more with Kamdyn Hagerty leading all pitchers going three innings in relief. Sophia Tassinari went 1.2 innings to follow her. Jessalyn Gallegos recorded the loss in the decision with her going 1.1 innings in her start.
Of the eight hits recorded by the offense Arrieta, Ally Distler and Makayla Westmoreland each had two apiece. Olivia Litzen and Bella Aragon both went 1-1 as well to add the other couple hits.
GAME 2 (CMU 2, CCU 0):
Following a tough loss in game one the Mavericks rebounded in game two of the day as they relied on Preslee Christensen in the circle who delivered her second shutout performance of the season to help the team secure the series split.
In Christensen's masterful outing the senior limited the Cougars to just three hits total of offense while walking three and striking out one. She needed just 69 pitches of work to make it happen as well as she is now 7-3 this season.
Her work matched the efforts of CCU's Emma Duncan who went 5.1 innings in the start and allowed the two runs to the Mavs. Duncan went all 11 innings of yesterday's extra innings affair but earned the loss today to move to 14-3. She was relieved of her duties in the sixth inning by Carson Griggs.
While the Mavs totaled seven hits in the game it was only in the sixth inning that they were able to make it hurt as they scored both runs of the game in that inning.
In the sixth, Colorado Mesa started with sequential hits by Chloe Valdez and Olivia Litzen to bring runners to second and third base before Kamdyn Hagerty came up big with a single to right field to bring the pair in.
Following the newly invented lead Colorado Mesa never looked back as Christensen retired the next six batters.
Offensively the Mavs were led by Valdez and Cailynn Parsons as each player finished with two hits. There were also three doubles hit in the game with Ally Distler, Litzen and Parsons each totaling one apiece.
UP NEXT
The Mavs return home this following weekend as they host the Chadron State Eagles in their final home stand of the season. Games are set for a Friday and Saturday schedule due to Easter weekend with Friday beginning at noon and Saturday beginning at 11 A.M. Saturday's games will also serve as senior day to honor the team's four seniors.
