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Box Score 2 Denver, Colo.: (By Dylan Docker) The Rangers welcomed the Cougars of Colorado Christian University to the Regis softball field on Wednesday for an afternoon doubleheader. Regis (11-17, 10-8) rode hot bats and solid pitching to a victory in game one, but the Cougars (19-16, 15-7) salvaged game two to pick up the twin bill split.
Game One – Colorado Christian 0, Regis 9
The Rangers sent senior right-hander Nikki Haberkorn to the circle in game one. Right-handed junior Genevieve Reyna got the start for the Cougars.
Regis got after the visiting starter in the early innings. Freshman shortstop
Rachel Illias led off the game with a triple and later scored on an error by Reyna.
Haberkorn laced a double to drive in senior right fielder
Cassie Long, who reached on a two-base error to lead off the second inning. Senior center fielder
Natalie Adami brought Haberkorn home with an RBI single, giving the Rangers an early 3-0 lead.
After pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth inning, Haberkorn sent an RBI triple to the center field wall in the home half. She later scored when senior first baseman
Maegan Cooley dropped a base hit just inside the third base line.
The Rangers loaded the bases in the fifth for Adami, who collected a pair of RBI's with a seeing-eye single through the left side to open up a 7-0 Regis advantage.
Haberkorn continued to dominate from the circle, retiring the Cougars on four pitches in the sixth inning. Junior designated hitter Alyssa Beskid then ended the game with an RBI single in the home half, giving the Rangers a 9-0 mercy rule victory.
Regis picked up the win with nine runs on 14 hits and no errors. Colorado Christian fell with no runs on four hits and three errors. Haberkorn (5-10) was credited with the win after allowing no runs and striking out one in six innings of work. Reyna (13-8) took the loss after pitching five innings with seven runs (five earned) allowed.
Haberkorn, Beskid, and Adami finished with two hits and two RBI's apiece. Freshman third baseman
Taylor Wilcox contributed three hits in four plate appearances and scored a pair of runs.
Game Two – Colorado Christian 1, Regis 0
Right-handed freshman Sydney Gaffin took the ball for the Rangers in game two. The Cougars turned to sophomore southpaw Hannah Rapoport.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Rangers were able to limit the damage. Freshman Alex Coffing tried to tag up and score on a fly ball to center field, but Adami gunned her down to end the Colorado Christian rally.
Freshman righty
Molly Tyler came on to pitch for Regis in the fourth inning, relieving Gaffin after three innings of work. Tyler retired her first eleven hitters with some help from the Regis defense. Illias, who returned to play shortstop in game two, robbed Melanie Lusi of a hit with a brilliant diving catch in the fifth inning.
Despite four scoreless innings of relief from Tyler, the Regis offense could not figure out Rapoport. Colorado Christian won the nightcap with one run on seven hits and four errors. Regis scored no runs on seven hits and one error.
Adami went 2-for-3 in game two. She combined to go 4-for-6 with two RBI's on the day. Although the 1-0 loss snapped the Rangers' five-game winning streak, Adami believes the team will bring positive momentum into the upcoming weekend series.
"Our defense was solid today, and I definitely think that should carry over," Adami said. "Our pitching was awesome, now we just have to keep hitting."
The Rangers will welcome Adams State College for a four-game set at home, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 31. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Game two will begin at approximately 2:00 p.m.
