GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The No. 5 seeded Regis University softball team (20-16, 16-14 RMAC) continued their run in the 2021 RMAC Softball Tournament, Friday. Yesterday, Regis fell to the No. 4 seeded Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, 5-2. 

Today, the Rangers faced two foes in the No. 2 seeded MSU Denver Roadrunners (29-11, 27-7 RMAC) as well as the No. 6 seeded Fort Lewis Skyhawks (20-22, 19-17 RMAC).

RU had an incredible come-from-behind win in their final at-bat versus the Orediggers to advance to game eight in the bracket.

Then, Regis had a pitcher's duel versus Fort Lewis under the lights. RU pulled out another win to advance to the quarter finals against the No. 1 seeded Colorado Mesa Mavericks (35-3, 34-2 RMAC).

How It Happened | Game One: Graduate student Taylor Armitage (13-4) started in the circle for Regis.

The Roadrunners took a 2-0 lead in the first inning off a pair of RBI singles. 

Then, a three RBI triple in the fourth made head coach Nicole Thompson send in sophomore Abby Covington (1-3) to pitch for Armitage. 

However, MSU Denver would add another run off a RBI single, which gave them a 6-0 advantage.

RU needed runs quickly, but time was running out for a potential comeback.

With their backs against the wall, the Ranger's looked to their offense in the top of the sixth for a miracle. With sophomore Logan Taylor planted on first after she was walked, junior Jessi Case sparked a rally with a two RBI homer over the fence, making the score 2-6.

Covington did a fantastic job of retiring all three outs in the bottom of the inning and the teams headed to the seventh. 

Graduate student Laura Scheffel scored first for the Rangers when Taylor grounded out. Then, junior Madison Flores cut further into the Roadrunners lead when senior Kynra Nelson singled.

With Regis down just two runs and the bases loaded, one of RU's most dangerous hitting machines stepped up to the plate, Jade Loe. Loe did what Loe does, hit bombs. Then, a solo dinger from freshman Katherine Raper immediately after Loe's grand slam propelled RU past MSU Denver, 9-6.

Thompson had freshman pitcher Megan Loveland (4-4) come in to finish off MSU Denver in the bottom of the seventh. The Roadrunners threatened Regis with a double and a single, but no runners would score before the final out was retired.

In dramatic fashion, the Rangers won, 9-6.

Here's what Loe had to say about her grand slam, "Honestly, I just wanted to hit something hard for my team and put something in play because we needed something to happen."

On where this game ranks in her career, "Definitely at the top. This is my fifth year and I wouldn't want it any other way!"

On what she told the team going into the final inning, "We've faced so much adversity this year, all we wanted to do was fight. If we were going to go down, we were going to go down swinging, and we came through."

Game Notes: Case was 1-4, her sole hit was a homer. She also scored twice and had two RBI. 

Loe's grand slam gave her a season-high four RBI. 

Raper was 2-5 and had a RBI with her homer.

Taylor had a team-high six putouts.

Loveland was credited her third save of the season.

Covington was awarded her first win of the season.

How It Happened | Game Two: Covington got the nod to start in the circle against the Skyhawks.

The game remained scoreless through the first two innings as both pitchers were playing extremely well.

In the bottom of the third inning though, Case picked up where she left off from game one and hit a two RBI dinger over the fence, scoring herself as well as freshman Victoria McMains.
Again, scoring would cool off until the fifth when Fort Lewis plated one run on a groundout RBI.

With RU clinging to their one run lead, the teams headed into the sixth. 

Thompson sent in Loveland to close the game out. The Skyhawks couldn't add any runs, but Raper sent a solo bomb over the fence in the bottom of the inning, increasing Regis' lead to 3-1.

Loveland retired all three outs in the top of the seventh and RU held on to win the game. 

Game Notes: Case was 1-3 and had five putouts. Her homer brings her season total to eight.

Nelson, Loe and Raper all were 1-3.

Taylor had a game-high seven putouts. 

Beard was 1-2. 

Raper's homer was her fifth of the season.

Loveland was credited her fourth save of the season.

Covington's record is now 2-3.

Up Next For the Rangers: The Rangers will face the Mavericks tomorrow at 1 p.m.. Mesa lost to the Colorado Christian Cougars (29-11, 25-8 RMAC) today, 8-0. Notably, Regis is only one of three teams that has beaten the Mavericks all season.