COLORADO SPRINGS – February 26, 2022 – The Chadron State College softball team was in two hard-fought games on Saturday until the final pitch, but host University of Colorado Colorado Springs took them both in the end, winning 10-8 and 3-0 in opening day of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
In the noon game, UCCS led 8-2 after four and 10-4 after six.
 
The Eagles battled back courageously in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs, but they left two aboard, which would have represented the tying runs, but closing pitcher ended the inning with a strikeout.
 
Lauren Zimmerman led CSC in the batter's box hitting 3-for-4.
 
CSC's Tia Kohl was assessed her eighth consecutive loss to open the season, while Braelyne Crenshaw improved to 2-2 for the Mountain Lions.
 
Later, it was Kenzi Garner getting the call for Chadron State after closing game one with a strikeout and a groundout. Garner allowed only two earned runs in six innings, but the Eagles offense mustered only a single base hit.
 
UCCS got all it needed on the scoreboard with two runs in the second inning and one in the fifth, capitalizing on a passed ball for their final score.
 
Despite an admirable showing in the scorebook, Garner took the loss in her first decision of the season. Lexi Rayburn was the winning pitcher, improving to 1-1.
 
For the Day, Zimmerman was 3-for-6 at the plate with five RBI for CSC, while Logan Asia came in at 2-for-4.
 
Chadron State is now 0-12 (0-2 RMAC) while UCCS improves to 4-4 (2-0 RMAC).
 
Play resumes in the four-game series at 11 a.m. on Sunday.