Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Regis University Ranger softball team finished the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference pod series against the Adams State Grizzlies and the UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions with two wins.
Yesterday, the Grizzlies stole a heartbreaker from the Rangers late in ninth but RU bounced back to open the day up with a 7-3 win over ASU. Then, Regis exploded against the Mountain Lions cruising to a 15-7 win in the second game.
Game 1: Regis 7 Adams State 3
Regis jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after two innings and did not allow the Grizzlies on the board until the fifth. Carlie Sexton notched her 33rd career double moving her one spot out of the all-time top ten rankings in the top of the second to score Ashley Prescott who reached on a fielder's choice. Macy Cox then followed with a single that drove in two more runs.
In the sixth, Rachel Illias doubled to left field to score Michelle Larose and push the RU lead to 5-1. Two more from the Rangers in the top of the seventh this time from a Sexton single down the right field line put the game out of reach for the Grizzlies.
Sexton led going 2-for-3 at the plate and tallying three RBIs. Cox continues to be an offensive powerhouse as the designated player for RU as she went 2-for-4 in the box scoring two runs and recording two RBIs. Illias was also consistent through the first game going 3-for-5 at the plate scoring one run and grabbing an RBI.
Nicole Aviles pitched through all seven innings while striking out eight batters to make that 15 throughout the weekend. Aviles improved to an overall record of 8-6.
Game 2: Regis 15 UC-Colorado Springs 7 (5 innings)
Regis did not waste any time opening the first inning up with a seven-spot on six hits. Just about everyone in the lineup got in on the action; there were five singles and a triple from Prescott that brought runners around to give RU a 7-0 lead.
In the top of the second, the Rangers continued applying offensive pressure bringing three more across, all of which came on two outs, to lead 10-0. Alyssa Finger got things rolling with what would be her first of two triples in one game. She then scored on a Delaney McGinn single up the middle. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases as Breana Pearsall stepped to the plate. Pearsall converted with a single to the shortstop and beat the throw as the Mountain Lions committed an error on the throw which scored McGinn and Sexton.
UCCS finally got on the board opening the bottom of the second with a lead-off single-run homerun. Nicole Hull and the Ranger defense put a stop to any Mountain Lion momentum forcing the next three batters to ground out. However, another UCCS run in the bottom of the third brought the lead to 10-2 but once again Regis blocked the Mountain Lions from mounting any sort of comeback.
Another offensive burst from the Rangers came in the form of five more runs in the top of the fourth. A little bit of everything started from Sexton reaching on a walk and Prescott singling to right. An Emily John double earned her an RBI, Illias recorded an RBI of her own on a sacrifice fly to left, and Bradey King scored John on a single. Then, Hull doubled as she tallied her third RBI of the game and Finger followed that up with her second triple of the day. Hull would score on the triple as RU extended their lead even further to 15-2.
The Mountain Lions came to life in the bottom half of the fourth scoring five runs on six hits but it still would not be enough as Regis improved to an overall record of 19-16 and 14-10 in the RMAC.
Illias went 4-for-7 on the day, including one double, for a batting average of .571 scoring two runs and two RBIs. Sexton added 3-for-5 at the plate batting at a .600 average through both games while scoring twice and notching three RBIs. Finger chipped in with 3-for-8 in the box scoring two runs and an RBI on her two triples.
Other notable performances were Prescott and Pearsall each going 3-for-6 at the plate while combining for four runs and four RBIs. Hull pitched in four innings and sat one batter down improving to an overall record of 10-7. RU outhit opponents today 29-16.
The Rangers remain local next weekend traveling to cross-town rival Metro State for a four-game series beginning on Saturday, April 9 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
