PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves (12-16, 9-11 RMAC) stole the first game 8-3 but the Regis University softball team battled to an 11-10 series-winning victory. The Rangers improve to an overall record of 19-17 and 11-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Many contributors stepped up at different points throughout the games today but
Alyssa Finger and
Lauren Hernandez led the Rangers offensively going 4-for-6 at the plate.
Carlie Sexton's 5-for-9 performance cannot go unnoticed as she scored three runs and tallied an RBI.
How It Happened | Game 1: On two outs, a series of singles from Ca. Sexton, Hernandez and
Delaney McGinn gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead early in the top of the first. The ThunderWolves evened the score up at 1-1 in the home half of the first.
The bats went cold for Regis throughout the next several innings as CSU-Pueblo was able to slowly gain and extend the lead. The ThunderWolves held an 8-1 lead until the Rangers were able to break the silence in the top of the seventh.
Emily John led-off with a single through the right side and was followed by a double down the left field line from
Bradey King. Ca. Sexton drove John home with a single to center field and King came across the plate on the next play but the Rangers comeback came up short.
Game Notes: Ca. Sexton went 2-for-4 at the plate with one run and an RBI to lead RU. McGinn recorded a team-high two RBIs.
Logan Losh,
Rachel Jones and
Cortney Sexton each saw time on the mound for Regis with Losh suffering the loss. The ThunderWolves outhit the Rangers 10-7 while RU left eight runners stranded to CSU-Pueblo's seven.
How It Happened | Game 2: The second game took the same course as the first. The Rangers took an early 1-0 lead as McGinn notched her third RBI on the day. The ThunderWolves matched it with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first evening the score up at 1-1.
CSU-Pueblo quickly put three more on the board in the bottom half of the second to hold a 4-1 lead. RU finally found offensive momentum in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded, on no outs, Hernandez drew a walk that scored John, who reached on a lead-off single. The Rangers brought three more across in the inning to regain control of the lead at 5-4.
Once again, the ThunderWolves had an answer tying the score at 5-5 in the bottom half of the fifth. The lead exchanged hands for the fourth time in the bottom of the sixth when CSU-Pueblo scored the go-ahead on a wild pitch.
Singles from Losh and Finger put runners in scoring position as Heronema brought the tying run across the plate on a single through the left side. The ThunderWolves were forced to make a pitching change and in the very next at bat
Leah Gordon recorded a sacrifice bunt to put the lead back in Regis' hands at 7-6.
RU suffered a costly error in the bottom of the seventh that advanced a runner into scoring position and CSU-Pueblo knotted the score up again at 7-7. King and Ca. Sexton opened the eighth inning with a pair of singles and Hernandez grabbed the RBI scoring King on a single up the middle.
McGinn forced another pitching change earning a walk in the next at bat that loaded the bases. The Rangers did not let up when Finger singled through the left side scoring both Ca. Sexton and Hernandez. One final run for RU came across as Heronema recorded her third RBI of the game on a sacrifice hit to score McGinn.
CSU-Pueblo just would not give in. On two outs, in the bottom of the eighth, the ThunderWolves put up three to come within one, 11-10. The Rangers made a pitching change going to Co. Sexton for the final out and she did just that forcing a groundout and lifting RU to victory.
Game Notes: The score tied three different times. Leading the Rangers offensively was Finger and Hernandez; both went 3-for-4 at the plate and combined for four RBIs, three runs and two walks. Ca. Sexton added a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two runs of her own. Four players finished the game with two or more RBIs led by Heronema with a career-high three. Losh went down in the books with the win on the mound moving to an overall record of 15-6 but Co. Sexton recorded her first save on the year. The Rangers outhit the ThunderWovles 16-12 and left ten runners on base to the home team's six.
Next Up For The Rangers: RU returns to their home field hosting conference-leading MSU Denver (24-9, 17-2 RMAC) on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2. Doubleheader action will begin at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
