GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- May 4, 2017 -- Chadron State College's conference Co-Freshman of the Year Jessica Jarecki battled Regis University's conference Co-Pitcher of the Year for nine innings, before the Eagles finally escaped with a 1-0 victory in the opening round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Tournament in Grand Junction.

Jarecki tied CSC records with 16 wins and four shutouts in a season, and she set a new mark of 25 complete games in a single year. She threw a three-hit game in her longest outing of the year.

Fourth-seeded Chadron State outhit the fifth-seeded Rangers eight to three, but could not close out with a run in the regulation seven innings. In six of the first eight innings, the Eagles had runners in scoring position, but the opposing pitching denied them.

Only after a fortunate series in the ninth was CSC able to put a run across, which gave them the walkoff win, 1-0.

With one away in the ninth, freshman Ellie Owens walked. Senior Taylor Bauer struck out, which brought up Courtney Lecher, hitting in the number one spot she has held down consistently. Lecher's base hit into shallow left center was a major breakthrough for the Eagle offense, but was aided by a misplay in the outfield which sent Owens streaking home for the winning run.

Lecher led the Eagles batting 3-for-5. Fellow senior and All-Conference recipient Lindsey Karlin was 2-for-4. Zoe Humphries, Aspen Eubanks, and Owens also recorded base hits.

Jarecki's nine innings in the circle also included 10 strikeouts versus only three walks. She held the Rangers, who bat over .300 as a team for the season, to just .104 in the batter's box on Thursday.

Chadron State returns to CMU Softball Stadium Friday at approximately 10:45 p.m., to face host and No. 1 seed Colorado Mesa. In the teams' only meetings this season, CSC took two of three from the Mavericks in a Chadron tripleheader, delayed due to weather.

Colorado Mesa won 6-2 on Thursday over New Mexico Highlands, in the game following the Eagles' victory.