PUEBLO, Colo. – Adams State Softball suffered a tough setback on day one of its pod series Saturday afternoon as the team dropped a pair of games.
The Grizzlies (5-21, 5-9 RMAC) fell in their first game to Colorado School of Mines, 10-0, in five innings. They then fell to host Chadron State College, 4-3, in game two.
Game one was all Mines as the Orediggers scored 10 runs on 13 hits and did not commit a single error. They held the Grizzlies to just three hits while a pair of errors played a role in ending the game early.
Mines opened up the game with two runs scored in the first inning. A pair of bunts with the help of an attempted steal gave the visitors a 2-0 lead early. Defense on both side then played a role to keep the score at 2-0 going into the third inning.
The Orediggers then scored four runs in the top of the third to grab a 6-0 lead that the Grizzlies never recovered from. Four base hits and a wild pitch to start the third gave the visitors a 4-0 lead. They extended it to 6-0 on an error and a single to open the game up.
Samantha McDonald looked to give the Grizzlies life with a two-out single in the bottom of the third but the Orediggers left her stranded at third following a stolen base. The Orediggers then scored three more runs on a home run from Clara Larson to extend the score to 9-0.
Adams State got hits in the bottom of the fourth and fifth from
Shelby Haskins and
Angel Micciulli, respectively, but it was not enough as Mines ended the game in five innings. A RBI single from Katie Leiker scored Mines final run in the top of the fifth to ultimately end the game at 10-0.
Micciulli, McDonald, and Haskins all had a hit in the game to lead the Grizzlies. In the circle,
Jade Garbiso suffered the loss to move to 1-12 after 3.1 innings of work.
Leiker led Mines after going 4-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Murphy was 2-2 with three runs scored, while Larson finished 2-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Claire Stringfellow got the win to improve to 3-5 after pitching a complete game for Mines.
Game two was a close one for Adams State as the team dropped a 4-3 game to host Chadron State College. The Eagles grabbed a 4-1 lead late that help them secure the one-run win over the Grizzlies.
The Eagles started the game working the top of the order to build the early momentum. They grabbed the 1-0 lead after a RBI single from Kayla Michel scored their first run to give them early lead.
The Grizzlies answered immediately in the second thanks in part to a leadoff bomb from
Brittany Phillips. The solo shot to start the second tied the game at 1-1 before the Eagles ended the top half of the frame.
Phillips then came back on defense and worked a 1-2-3 frame to close the second and keep the scored tied at 1-1. The Grizzlies got a base hit in the top of the third from McDonald but she was left stranded. The Grizzlies then kept the game scoreless after the third after the Eagles were unable to get a hit.
CSC then went 1-2-3 to start the fourth to get back on offense quickly. It paid off after a RBI single from Leilani Niccum scored Bailey Rominger to end the tie and give CSC a 2-1 edge. Adams State got a hit in the fifth but the runner was left stranded.
The Eagles final two runs came in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a pair of hits and a Grizzlies error that help them stay in front to secure the win. The Grizzlies got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when
Baylie Fryar hit a RBI single to score Phillips and make it a 4-2 game.
Adams State looked to rally in the seventh inning but they managed just one run before CSC ended the game to end any hopes of a comeback. A RBI single from
Julia Jimenez scored
Jasmine Parker for the Grizzlies final run before the Eagles finally ended the game.
Jimenez led the Grizzlies in game two going 2-4 with a RBI.
Zoe Munn also had two hits on the day after going 2-3. Philips suffered the loss in the circle to move to 2-6. She pitched the whole game and struck out two batters.
Michel,Rominger, and Nicum all had two hits to lead the Eagles. Michel had two RBI, while Rominger had a run scored. Niccum had a RBI in the win as well. Dallas Magnusson picked up the win in the circle to improve to 1-3. She pitched a complete game and struck out six batters in the win.
The Grizzlies will wrap up their pod series on Sunday. They will play host CSC at 10 a.m. and follow that game up against Mines at 12 p.m.
