LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Reaching the championship game and facing off with #1 seed Colorado Christian University for the second time in two days, the Colorado Mesa University Softball Team fell short this afternoon as they were defeated 6-0 in the final game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Championship at All Star Park.
With the loss the Mavericks finished as the second-place team in this year's tournament going 2-2. Colorado Christian went a perfect 3-0 en route to the championship with them earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Softball Championships with the win.
The Mavs now sit at 39-15 (35-9 RMAC) on the year with them awaiting their fate for seedings in the NCAA Softball Championships during the selection show on Monday morning at 8 A.M. In the most recent South Central Region Poll the Mavs were the sixth ranked team with the top eight schools earning bids. Conference tournament champions Colorado Christian and UT Tyler from the Lone Star are the two teams to have guaranteed spots already.
In today's loss the Mavs played a tight contest for the first four innings with only one run being scored by either team. It was the costly fifth inning that changed the outcome as the Cougars erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the commanding six run lead.
Preslee Christensen kept the Cougars at bay for the first four innings with her only run allowed during that time coming unearned. She worked her way into the fifth inning as well but after two singles and comebacker off her body, the Senior was forced to exit the circle with two more Maverick pitchers needed the collect the final five outs.
In that fifth inning there was a total of seven hits by the Cougars with three of the runs being batted in and two of them coming on passed balls.
The Mavs' offense struggled to get a rhythm going to combat the Cougars attack with Colorado Mesa only owning two hits and reaching base five times. Kamdyn Hagerty and Bella Aragon each finished 1-2 to own the pair of hits.
Christensen was given the loss in the decision, moving to 11-5 on the season. Sophia Tassinari and Jessalyn Gallegos combined to finish the final 1.2 innings following Christensen's departure.
Four players earned recognition to the All-Tournament team following the game with the quartet of Myah Arrieta, Khloe Kubitschek, Preslee Christensen and Ally Distler all being recognized.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Elyse McMullin, CCU (MVP)
Sarah Dollerschell, CCU
Camryn Quilling, CCU
Hannah Espinoza, CCU
Myah Arrieta, CMU
Khloe Kubitschek, CMU
Preslee Christensen, CMU
Ally Distler, CMU
Jaiden Geist, MSUD
Jennavieve Goldsworth, UCCS
