GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- February 23, 2020 -- The Chadron State College softball team dropped to 5-10 overall, beginning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play 0-4, as the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks nabbed two more wins in Grand Junction on Sunday. The Mavs are now 10-4 and 4-0 in the RMAC schedule.

In the morning game, Mesa piled up a 7-0 advantage through four innings, pounding out 11 hits and getting one across on an error.

CSC responded with a pair of runs in the fifth, getting doubles from Gabby Russell and Mackenzi Kroll, a single from Bailey Rominger, and an error from CMU.

The Mavericks were ahead 8-2 with an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, and carried that lead into the seventh, where CSC scored its final pair of runs.

Eagles' second baseman Addison Spears closed it to 8-4 with a two-RBI double in the final inning.

CMU pitcher Ellie Smith improved to 3-2 in her home debut, while Tia Kohl fell to 2-5 in the loss by CSC.

In the afternoon, Colorado Mesa took control early with an 11-3 lead through the third. It added two more runs in the fourth, and CSC was unable to respond in time for the run rule to take effect in the fifth, with the score at 13-3.

The Mavs' win was awarded to Shea Mauser (5-1), while DeAnna Barrera (3-5) was the pitcher of record for the Eagles.

Russell, who batted 2-for-3 in the game, also finished things up in the pitching circle for Chadron State, tossing the final at-bat in the second inning and holding Mesa to five hits in the third and fourth.

Spears led the Eagles in the batter's box batting 6-for-13 on the weekend with three doubles and one home run.

CSC is scheduled for its home opener on Saturday versus Regis University, at noon.