CHADRON, Neb. – The Colorado Mesa University softball team exploded offensively for a strong series win showing this afternoon as they defeated Chadron State College twice in their final day double header at CSC Softball Field.
The Mavericks emphatically defeated the Eagles 23-3 in five innings to begin the day before closing out the series with another win by run-rule of 12-2 in five innings in game four.
The Mavs have now defeated the Eagles in three straight conference series with these wins being crucial as only week in the regular season remains before the conference tournament begins.
Colorado Mesa returned to an even 24-24 (23-27 RMAC) with the two wins while Chadron State dropped to 6-42 (6-33 RMAC).
Below is a short recap of each game:
GAME 1 (CMU 23, CSC 3; 5 inn.):
After falling short in a game two slugfest yesterday, the Mavs rebounded to win largely in the first game of today's doubleheader with them running away offensively in 20-run differential for their new season-high in runs scored in a game.
CMU totaled 22 hits to accompany those 23 runs with this also tying for second most runs in a game in school history.
Both teams scored in the first and second innings with the game sitting at just 4-3 after three innings of play but changed drastically soon after as the Mavs broke away with 19 unanswered runs to win heavily.
They put up nine of those runs in the fourth with a 10 spot then coming in the top of the fifth.
12 different players recorded at least one hit for the Mavs with the team recording five doubles and six home runs. Six players for Colorado Mesa had multi-hit performances.
Furthermore, Molli Magaña and Khloe Kubitschek each had two home runs in the game with the pair being the top two home runs hitters for the team this season.
Allison Lindsay would add a homerun as well with Lacie Rodabaugh having the final bomb for the Mavs in what was her first collegiate at bat of her career.
Kubitschek also recorded two doubles with the group of Cailynn Parsons, Jackie Oster and Makayla Westmoreland each having one as well.
All in all, Kubitschek finished the day going 4-for-5 with a whopping 10 RBIs to her name which ranks as the most ever in single game for CMU history.
Marisa Nehm backed the offense going a complete game in the circle improving to 10-7 with win while scattering two earned runs across five hits and three walks.
GAME 2 (CMU 12, CSC 2, 5 inn.):
Continuing their strong showing at the plate, the Mavs were able to close out the day with another run-rule victory to secure the series win.
The Mavs tacked on eight runs through the first two innings en route to the win while scoring four runs in both the first and second.
In the first, they scored those on an error, a first-third steal and a pair of hits with both TK Landes and Paige Pierce recording RBIs.
They then used one hit and two errors in the second inning to add four more runs while Khloe Kubitschek once again left the yard for her third home run of the day. Kubitschek's home run was a three-run shot while the other run that frame came from an RBI fielder's choice from Allison Lindsay.
The Eagles got back two runs in the bottom of the second on a home run to make it a six-run game but past that point weren't able to score anymore as they only managed three hits the rest of the game.
Colorado Mesa extended their lead into the run-rule range in the top of the fifth scoring four more runs with them also hitting two more home runs that inning.
Pierce launched a solo home run to begin the scoring with Cailynn Parsons later adding to the damage as well on a two run home run herself.
Lacie Rodabaugh scored the final run for the Mavs after reaching home on a wild throw from their catcher.
The Mavs finished the game with three home runs and nine total on the day as this was one of their best offensive weekends of the entire year.
Parsons and Pierce both led the team with two hits each while five different players had RBIs.
In the circle, Marisa Nehm once again went the distance pitching her second complete game of the day as she earned her 11th win overall.
UP NEXT:
The Mavs will now return to Grand Junction for their final four home games of the regular season this next weekend when they host Black Hills State University on May 1 (Fri.) and 2 (Sat.). Saturday's games will also be the team's senior day with pregame ceremonies taking place to honor them.
