COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Grizzlies fall to the Mountain Lions in both games of their final series. University of Colorado Colorado Springs took the Grizzlies 9-1 in five innings in game one. Adams State kept a strong fight, taking UCCS to extra innings but unfortunately falling in the ninth, 15-14.
The Grizzlies had a decent start to the game with
Samantha McDonald batting second, and singling to the right side.
Shelby Haskins joined McDonald aboard from a walk. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies were not able to bring anyone home.
The Mountain Lions got off to a quick start, scoring their first run in the bottom of the first. After UCCS singled to the shortstop, the following Mountain Lion doubled to center field. The runner on first advanced to third and scored on a throwing error by the center fielder. The Mountain Lions led the Grizzles 1-0 going in to the second inning.
With a quiet second inning from the Grizzlies, UCCS led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to right center. The Mountain Lions homered to left center to bring two more runs home, leading 3-0.
Getting the Grizzlies third hit of the day,
Sarah Rocha doubled to right center. Moving in to the bottom of the third, UCCS led off with another single to right center, and was followed by a homer to left center, adding two more runs on the board.
Adams State led off the fourth with a single to left field from
Brittany Phillips.
Baylie Fryar singled to right field, moving Phillips to second.
Jade Garbiso followed, getting out at first while advancing both Phillips and Fryar. The Grizzlies did not pull anything together to get on the board.
In the bottom of the fourth, UCCS tallied four more runs. With a lead off single to center, followed by a single to left, advancing the runner to third. The following Mountain Lion homered to center field, adding three more runs to the scoreboard. As
Taylor Sandoval came in to pitch for Phillips, the following Mountain Lion singled, and was advanced to third on a double to center field. UCCS added their ninth run from a ground out to the catcher, and the runner on their scored.
The Grizzlies got on the board in the top of the fifth with a homer to left center from
Angel Micciulli.
The Mountain Lions came out on top in the first game 9-1. The Grizzlies scored one run on seven hits. UCCS scored their nine runs on 11 hits.
The leaders in game one for the Grizzlies were Roach and Micciulli. Roacha went 2-3, and Micciulli went 1-3, with one RBI on her homerun.
The Grizzlies had a much better game offensively in game two, with 21 hits and 14 runs.
Adams State started the first inning with McDonald singling to third base. McDonald advanced to third on a throwing error by the center fielder. Rocha reached on a fielder's choice, while McDonald scored. The Grizzlies led moving in to the bottom of the first inning, 1-0.
UCCS followed the Grizzlies lead by starting the inning with a single to right field. The following Mountain Lion homered to left field, putting two on the board.
Adams State answered the Mountain Lion run in the top of the second.
Rebecca Wood hit a lead-off double to right center field. Fryar grounded out to the pitcher, advancing Wood to third.
Jade Garbiso popped up to left field, scoring Wood.
With the game tied at two, the Mountain Lions did not have any action in the bottom of the second. The Grizzlies added two more to their score with a lead off single by McDonald, followed by a homerun to center field from Rocha.
Trailing by two, UCCS hit another two-run homerun to tie the game back at four. The Mountain Lions hit a one-out double to left center, and followed with a double to left field to make it 5-4.
Adams State had a big fourth inning. Garbiso started the Grizzlies off with a lead-off homerun to left center, tying the game at five.
Zoe Munn followed with a singled to center, and replaced by pinch runner
Kyrah Archibald. She was advanced to second by a single from Micciulli. McDonald advanced the two runners, by bunting to the pitcher. Rocha followed up with a single to left field, scoring Archibald.
Shelby Haskins reached on a fielding error to score Rocha and Micciulli. The Grizzlies finished the inning leading the Mountain Lions 8-5.
The Mountain Lions did not respond in the bottom of the fourth, and both teams had a quiet fifth inning.
At the top of the sixth, McDonald hit a lead-off double to center field. Haskins singled to right center to score McDonald, and the Grizzlies ninth run.
The bats of UCCS woke up in the bottom of the sixth. The Mountain Lions with two outs, the Mountain Lions doubled to center field. The runner on second scored from a single to right center. The following batter was hit by a pitch to get on base. With two outs and two on, UCCS singled to right field to score two, trailing the Grizzlies 9-8.
At the top of the seventh, Garbiso reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, then was advanced to second on the put out at first from Munn. McDonald singled to second, then was brought in by a big homerun from Rocha to left center. The Grizzlies extended their lead 12-8.
UCCS tied the game at 12 in the bottom of the seventh. After a lead off single, the runner was advanced to third from a fielder's choice and a single to third base. The runner scored from a popup to the first baseman. The Mountain Lions hit their third home run of the game, scoring three to tie the game at 12.
With a quiet eighth inning, the Grizzlies tried to end it in the top of the ninth. Micciulli led the inning off with a homerun to center field, putting the Grizzlies up by one. McDonald with another single to left field. After McDonald's successful steal to second, Haskins was walked. With two on and two outs, Wood singled to the pitcher to score McDonald. Going in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Grizzlies led by two, 14-12.
The Mountain Lions came through in the ninth with two singles, and hit a walk-off three-run homerun to top the Grizzlies 15-14.
The Grizzlies scored their 14 runs on 21 hits, four of those hits were homeruns that brought in seven runs. The Mountain Lions scored their 15 runs on 20 hits, of which four were homeruns that scored ten runs. On the day, Adams State hit five homeruns, and UCCS hit seven.
Leading hitters for the Grizzlies in game two were McDonald, Rocha, and Micciulli. McDonald a a huge day at the plate, going 5-6, scoring five runs. On the day McDonald went 6-9. Rocha were 3-6 in the game with seven RBI. Both Rocha and Micciulli hit two homeruns on the day.
The Grizzlies will head out to the diamond for the last two games of the regular season tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Colorado Springs.
