Softball team scores 31 runs winning 3 of 4 games

The CSC softball team won their opening game against Western New Mexico University Saturday with a score of 4-3, but lost the second game of the day 5-3.

In the opening game, the Eagles won despite being out-hit 12 to 5. 

Pitcher Kylee Polsley, senior of Omaha, avoided trouble early in the second inning when WNMU loaded the bases with two outs. Polsley struck out two consecutive batters, and ended the inning with the help of a diving catch in center field by Rebecca Wetsch, junior of Erie, Colo.

After Western built a three-run lead in the fifth inning, the Eagles rallied off consecutive hits with two outs, which led to a single by Courtney Lecher, freshman of Fort Collins, Colo., scoring two runs.

The Eagles took the lead in the sixth inning after a Western error scored the final run of the game.

The second game was a back-and-forth affair much like the first. Western took the lead in the first, but Jessica Eatmon, junior of Broomfield, Colo., and Katelyn Kruger, sophomore of Highlands Ranch, Colo., scored in the second to put the Eagles back in front.

The Eagles only scored one run the rest of the game, while Western scored twice in the third inning, once in the fourth inning, and the final run in the sixth inning.

CSC picked up two more conference wins Sunday in another double-header against WNMU.

The Eagles beat the Mustangs by a score of 8-6 in the first game and won a roller coaster of a second game, 16-15.

With the pair of wins, CSC improves their overall record to 14-16 and their RMAC record to 11-7.

The Eagles managed to take control of each game in the third inning, scoring six runs in each third frame.

In the first game, Western New Mexico jumped out to an early 5-1 lead after two innings, but in the third inning Chadron State’s offense flourished.

Katie Londo, senior of Colorado Springs, got things rolling with an RBI single.

Eatmon followed with a two-run double and Kruger blasted a three-run home run to put the Eagles on top 7-5.

After two scoreless innings, Kruger gave the Eagles one last run by singling to shortstop and bringing Lecher home.

Western New Mexico’s Stephanie Higgins, junior of Escondido, Calif., hit a solo homer in the top of the seventh, but CSC’s Breeze Phillips, sophomore of Evergreen, Colo., closed out the game by setting the last two down by ground outs.

Kruger finished with three of the Eagles’ 10 hits for the game.

Shea Graham, sophomore of Colorado Springs, went 2-for-3 and Sarah Knudsen, senior of Parker, Colo., contributed with a solo home run.

In the second game, CSC looked to take away any hope the Mustangs had of a split early on by jumping out to a convincing 13-2 lead after three innings, but WNMU scored six runs in the fourth and five more in the seventh in their attempt for a huge upset.

Despite the Mustangs’ rally, Polsley got the final three outs to put the game away.

“We had to use literally everyone to win those games,” Eatmon said. “They’re a good team. We had to pick up our offense a little bit to support our pitching.”

As they did in the first game, CSC had 10 hits for the game, but five of them went for extra bases.

“Not having very many hits, we produced a lot of runs,” Lecher said. “So, we were pretty efficient.”

Londo hit a three-run home run, Eatmon added a two-run homer, and both Zoe Humphries, freshman of Arvada, Colo., and Taylor Bauer, freshman of Rapid City, S.D., hit back-to-back homers.

Wetsch hit a triple for the other extra base hit. Humphries led the way with two hits and three RBIs.

Londo and Wetsch also drove in three runs.

Graham and Rebekah Anthony, sophomore of Monument, Colo., each had an RBI.

The Eagles travel to Pueblo, Colo., this weekend for a four-game series against Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Saturday’s games are set to be played at noon and 2 p.m. and Sunday’s at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.