The softball team completed their first conference sweep of the season, winning all 4 games against Chadron on March 1 and March 2.
“This is my first collegiate sweep since being here,” said sophomore infielder Jennavieve Goldsworth. “I think we really worked for it and found out how to come back and win.”
Goldsworth hit her first homerun of the season in the bottom of the third inning in game 4.
Freshman infielder Tayler McCombs was named the RMAC Softball Player of the Week after putting together a .643 batting average and getting 19 total bases across the Chadron series for the Mountain Lions. McCombs is in the top 5 players of the conference in almost every offensive category.
Softball wins game 1 (8-7), crushes game 2 (10-0) on March 1
In the first inning of game 1, the Mountain Lions went scoreless while Chadron got out to a 4-run lead. The UCCS defense stopped Chadron from scoring in the second when junior pitcher Autumn Kunze struck out Chadron’s Sydney Loyet while the infielders grounded out two more to going into the bottom of the second.
A run from McCombs got UCCS on the board thanks to a catcher’s interference. UCCS closed the second inning with a single from sophomore Jacqueline Berkowitz that allowed for sophomore infielder Laynee Case to make a run, putting the score at 4-2.
The third inning saw two home runs from Chadron and a run by Case to bring the score to 7-3. UCCS made a comeback in the bottom of the fourth following a scoreless inning from Chadron. The score was 8-7 going into the fifth after a home run by sophomore catcher and outfielder Mackenzie Scott and runs from Berkowitz, McCombs and Case. With neither team scoring in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, UCCS won game 1.
UCCS routed Chadron in game 2. Neither team scored in the first, but UCCS put up 5 runs in the second after a home run by Taylor McCombs and runs from Case, freshman infielder Halley Redd, junior outfielder Bailey Olerich and Scott. The Mountain Lions put up another 5 runs in the bottom of the third. Chadron was unable to score in the fourth or fifth, ending the game early, and giving UCCS the win, 10-0.
Softball wins games 3 (8-5) and 4 (11-10) on March 2
Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday’s first game, the Mountain Lions were down by 2 runs, 5-3. A single from Redd allowed McCombs to score. An error from Chadron had Scott advance to first and Redd score. When Berkowitz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded, she hit a double-double that put UCCS in the lead and won the game, 8-5.
The Mountain Lions were playing catchup in game 4. Goldsworth said this was the most challenging of the series. “Probably our worst start to the first inning,” she said.
Chadron put up 6 runs in the first 2 innings, while UCCS only managed 2. The Mountain Lions were able to prevent any Chadron scoring in the top of the third and brought the game to a 1-run difference in the bottom of the inning, 6-5.
UCCS and Chadron matched runs in the fourth and fifth, putting the score at 10-9 going into the sixth. The UCCS fielders accounted for all 3 outs at the top of the sixth. A triple by McCombs to left field allowed Berkowitz to score and tie the game for the first time, 10-10. Next up to the bat was junior catcher and first baseman Katie Steinmetz who singled to center field while McCombs scored from third base to take over the lead and win the game, 11-10.
The Mountain Lions’ next series is at home against Fort Lewis on March 8 to 9.
Sophomore infielder Jennavieve Goldsworth at bat. Photo by Lillian Davis.