Eagles drop 3, but Mazankowski’s walk-off still gives team 1 win

Jamie Mazankowski, senior of Kearney, hit a walkoff homerun for the Eagles to win their first of four games against Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, 5-2.

The first game on Friday Amy Schartz sophomore of Brady hit a solo homerun that tied the game at the bottom of the seventh 2-2.

Kate Pinder, sophomore of Fallon Nev., earned a complete game win, striking out five and only allowing seven hits.

Mazankowski hit her 3-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning winning the game.

“Mines are number one in our conference and it was exciting that we beat them our first game it was kind of a big deal for us,” junior of Vancouver, Calif., Katelyn McBeth said.

The Orediggers took a 5-0 lead within the first three innings. They took the game 10-1 off of 7 unearned runs. Kelly Unkrich, sophomore pitcher of Highlands Ranch, Colo., won the game. In six innings, she gave four hits and struck out seven.

“They will be our number one competition if we make it to the RMAC tournament because we will most likely play them first,” junior of Victoria, Canada, Angela Jay said.

On Saturday, the Orediggers beat Chadron State 8-0 and 3-0.

The first game of the day, the Orediggers immediately stole three bases and scored a run.

The third inning, Oredigger Sarah Lustgraaf, junior of Missoula, Mont., hit a 3-run home run and Molly Thiebaut, sophomore of Pueblo, Colo., followed with a solo homerun.

Colorado Mines scored 4 more runs in the sixth inning. Lauren Aberle, sophomore of Fort Collins, hit a 3-run homerun and Macy Jones, rank of city, state, hit a solo.

The Orediggers’ starting pitcher first Balogh,  rank of city, state, allowed three hits and struck out six with no walks.

Christina Lewis, senior of Delta, British Columbia, pitched eight and two-thirds innings, allowing eight hits. For the Orediggers, Kelly Unkrich, sophomore of Highlands Ranch, Colo., struck-out four and allowed nine hits.

The Orediggers scored 3 runs after a single and two errors.

After 3 runs scored in the sixth inning, the maximum run-rule came into effect and the Eagles were shut-out 9-0.

“I think we have a shot at winning against Mines if we make it to RMAC. It’s all about our mindset going into the game,” sophomore of Scottsbluff Kalyn Land said.

Katie Londo, freshman of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Mazankowski had two hits each leading the Chadron State offense.

The second game, Jay threw-out back-to-back attempted steals in the first inning.

The Orediggers did not steal the rest of the game, but the Eagles still lost 3-0.