LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Regis University Ranger softball team played in 21 innings throughout two games of nail-biting action to close out the series at the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls with a split. The first game lasted just shy of three hours as Regis suffered the heartbreaking 7-6 loss. The second game, not as long, but proved just as dramatic resulted with the Rangers finishing on top 3-2. 

Both teams saw a fairly even box score in the first game as the Cowgirls outlasted the Rangers in the first game scoring the winning run on a wild pitch late in the bottom of the 12^th. Regis slightly edged out the hosts in the hit column 19-17 as both squads left 12 runners on base in the extended first game.

Highlands took an early 3-0 lead after the first inning before RU was able to get the bats swinging in the top of the fourth. Bradey King started the inning off with a triple to center to be followed by a walk from Emily John. With runners on the corners, Carlie Sexton grounded into a double but King would score on the play as Regis trailed 3-1.

The Rangers stayed persistent to take control of a 4-3 lead their next at bat in the top of five. Ashley Prescott recorded an RBI reaching on an error and John tallied two RBIs with her single to right center. Then, again, in the top of the seventh, Sexton singled to left center scoring Prescott and John, both of which reached on singles of their own. 

With a 6-3 Regis lead in the bottom of the seventh, the Cowgirls refused to give in starting off the inning with a triple to left center. That runner would then score on the next at bat off a RBI single as the score now read 6-4. On one out, NMHU sent one over the fence to score two runs and tie the game 6-6.

As the game headed to extra innings, the back-and-forth battle carried on as each team saw multiple opportunities to finish off the game as the inning numbers continued to climb. RU left eight of the 12 total runners left stranded in the last five innings. Unfortunately, it was Highlands that caught a break in the bottom of the 12^th taking advantage of a wild pitch to score the winning run.

The second game saw much less scoring but it was the Rangers first to the board in the top half of the second off a solo shot from Macy Cox to lead 1-0. Strong pitching from Nicole Hull and defense to back her up kept the Cowgirls from coming across the plate for much of the game.

RU brought another across in the top half of the sixth inning to lead, 2-0, but Highlands, again, responded with two runs in the bottom half of six to lock the score 2-2. Neither team had a hit in the next two innings until Delaney McGinn doubled in the top of the ninth to score the pinch runner, Breanna Pearsall.

The Rangers held a slim 3-2 lead with the chance to split on the day headed into the last half inning of play. Hull's consistency on the mound continued as she, along with her defense, lifted RU to victory putting down three-straight batters including one strikeout.

Cox was the designated hitter throughout both games and led Regis offensively going 6-of-10 at the plate. She had a home run and a double while recording an RBI and one run.

Hull threw in 12.2 innings combining to face 53 batters while sitting down five in strikeouts and allowing just three earned runs. She moves to an overall record of 6-3. Nicole Aviles started and pitched in 7.2 innings of the first game and recorded two strikeouts.

The Rangers are on the road next weekend at Colorado Mesa for another four-game series Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6. Doubleheader action on Saturday is at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.