Softball outran by MSU Roadrunners

By Eben Rosentrater

Despite coming off of a 3-1 weekend against Fort Lewis, the CSC softball team reversed course on the road and went 1-3 over the weekend against the MSU Denver Roadrunners

The RMAC second-ranked Roadrunners created a scoring nightmare for the Eagles, shutting out Chadron in two of the four games played and handing the Eagles their second 1-3 series of the season.

The first game of the series was a slow crawl.

CSC shortstop Bailey Steinke, senior of Lakewood, Colorado, walked on the first at-bat of the game. However, she was unable to take advantage of the free base after the next three CSC batters struck or grounded out.

The Roadrunners followed suit with a three-up, three-down in the bottom of the first.

However, MSU found success, scoring one run in the following inning and two more runs in the third, putting them up 3-0.

The Eagles found home plate only once in the final inning after Mackenzi Kroll, junior of Brighton, Colorado, launched at home run.

However, the five CSC runners left on base put the Eagles three runs short of victory, losing game one 1-3.

Roadrunner scoring was most prevalent in game two. MSU kicked off the first inning with an RBI single to right field.

In the following inning, a rare triple off of a CSC throwing error allowed two more MSU runs.

The fourth inning saw an MSU RBI double to left field, and in the fifth, the Roadrunners rattled off four more runs, ending the game in an 8-0 mercy rule loss for the Eagles in game two

Despite winning in all statistical categories, the Eagles still lost game three the following day.

MSU scored a single unearned run in the first inning, which was the only run scored during the contest.

The Eagles landed six hits but proceeded to leave every baserunner on base. This was an extremely frustrating sight for the Eagles, especially considering the Roadrunners were able to win the game 1-0, recording just a single hit.

Fortunately for the Eagles, they bounced back in the final game of the series.

The Eagles opened up the first inning with a run after CSC pitcher Delaney Farnsworth, freshman of Centennial, Colorado, RBI singled down center field, allowing Steinke to score.

Kroll landed her second home run of the weekend after launching one to right field in the second inning.

In the third inning, Kenzi Garner, sophomore of Broomfield, Colorado, landed her first career home run, sending one over the left field fence.

Three at-bats later, Jessie Henchenski, junior of Fort Collins, Colorado, scored another two points after landing a two-run home run, bringing in Farnsworth in the process, who singled down the middle just two at-bats prior.

The Roadrunner bats swung well during the bottom of the third inning. MSU took the lead 6-5, scoring six runs in a single inning alone.

Despite this scare, the Eagles stayed consistent and rattled off two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings respectively. CSC won the game 9-6.

The Eagle scoring rally proved to be too much for the Roadrunners, ending MSU’s hopes for a 4-0 sweep over the Eagles. This victory for the Eagles was also the Roadrunners’ first RMAC defeat, a huge sting for the conference title hopeful MSU Denver.

The Eagles return to the diamond when they take on the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, of Golden, at home on Sunday and Monday.