LUBBOCK, Texas. – Chadron State softball went 1-1 on its Opening Day, starting off 2025 with a 12-2 six-inning victory over Adams State before falling 6-0 to hosts Lubbock Christian at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational.
The Eagles hit three home runs on the day with
Lauren Zimmerman,
Ashland Baca and
Sophia Brennan all leaving the yard against Adams State. Zimmerman and Baca finished with four total RBI apiece to lead the charge offensively.
In the circle, Chadron State received complete games from both starting pitchers, including a winning effort from senior
Tori Haug, who scattered two runs on five hits while walking four and striking out seven.
The Eagles had a dream start to the year. In the top of the first against Adams State, center fielder and Western Nebraska CC transfer
Katelynn Czerpak was hit by a pitch before left fielder
J'lyssa Martinez singled. Zimmerman stepped up and sent a 2-0 pitch over the wall to straightaway center field for a home run to give CSC a 3-0 just three batters into the game.
Chadron State continued to add on, with
Ashland Baca at the center of everything in the middle innings. Baca homered to right-center field in the third, scoring pinch-runner
Devyn Thornton to make it 5-0, then came up again the following inning and lifted a sacrifice fly to score Czerpak, who had singled, stole second and moved to third on a Zimmerman single.
The Eagles added another unearned run in the fifth when pinch-runner
Elizabeth Thorngren went to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch.
With a 7-2 advantage heading into the top of the sixth, Chadron State put some distance between themselves and the Grizzlies with a five-run inning that allowed the run rule to hit.
The top of the order got it done again, with Czerpack drawing a walk and Martinez singling. Zimmerman came through with another RBI, singling to score Czerpak, before. Baca hit her second sacrifice fly of the day to score Martinez.
With two outs, catcher
Sophia Brennan homered to right center on the first pitch, giving CSC a 12-2 lead to protect heading into the bottom half. Needing one run to extend the game to a seventh inning, Adams State made things interesting and loaded the bases with two outs, but Haug coaxed a ground ball to third to end the threat and the ballgame.
Unfortunately, much of the offense dried up in CSC's second game of the day. Lubbock Christian pitcher Emily Dix limited the Eagles to just four hits in a complete-game shutout while striking out 14 batters.
For Chadron State,
Kenzi Garner handled the pitching in game two against Lubbock Christian, who was picked fifth in the 16-team Lone Star Conference's Preseason Poll and who will face the Eagles again on Sunday. Garner pitched all six innings, allowing six runs on 12 hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
The Eagles will play two more games Saturday, taking on Sul Ross State at 9 a.m. and Texas-Permian Basin at 5 p.m. (MT). They will have a chance to rematch Lubbock Christian at 11 a.m. Sunday morning (MT).
