Eagles get knocked out of the park at home

Despite being swept by Colorado Christian University over the weekend for its first home games of the season, Chadron State softball team returned to its home field to play a doubleheader against Northern State University Monday.

“There were some amazing plays by our outfielders and infielders, and everyone showed up,” Kenzi Garner, freshman of Broomfield, Colorado, said. “Coach always tells us that one person can’t win or lose a game, and everyone showed up in every aspect yesterday (Monday).”

For their first home series, the Eagles lost all four games against Colorado Christian University, both Saturday and Sunday: 2-1, 8-1, 10-0 and 7-2.

Facing Northern State Monday, the first game remained scoreless for the first four innings, the first and only points being put up in the bottom of the fifth. Aliyah Rothstein, freshman of Lakewood, Colorado, and Paige Edwards, freshman of Firestone, Colorado, both singled to earn RBIs by sending Addison Spears, junior of Berthoud, Colorado and Jessica Strandlund, junior of Victoria, British Colombia, back home.

Garner pitched a complete shutout following the seven innings to face 28 batters. Of her 42 pitches, she recorded a strikeout, a walk and seven hits, keeping the Wolves scoreless through the first game, 2-0.

“I think is shows the hard work that everyone put in,” Garner said. “It was a lot of fun and seeing familiar faces watch us was really cool too.”

Despite being able to hold the Wolves to zero in the first game, the Eagles were unable to keep their opponents scoreless as Northern State took the lead from the first inning.

After scoring four runs, CSC was able to score some of their own in the bottom of the second inning, but it wasn’t enough to catch up and splitting the day’s games after a 9-2 loss.

The only runs for the Eagles came from Jessie Henchenski, sophomore of Fort Collins, Colorado, homered to left center, batting in two of her teammates in the second inning.

Tia Kohl, senior of Wichita, Kansas, started out the game on the mound while Gabby Russell, senior of Oceanside, California, windmilled through five innings

Peyton Propp, senior of Lakewood, Colorado, closed out the game in the last inning, only allowing two hits of 17 pitches and five batters faced.

Overall, the Eagles are 4-20 for the season with a conference record of 3-9.

CSC softball team faces Regis University for a doubleheader series starting at noon, Saturday, in Denver.

“We’re getting better everyday, and I think that we are putting a lot of intention into our practices and preparing for these games and everything is starting to come together,” Garner said. “I’m excited to see how we grow through the rest of the season.”