LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Chadron State softball scored five runs in the sixth inning of game two, but managed only one run in the doubleheader prior to that as the too-little, too-late offensive performance allowed New Mexico Highlands to snag 3-1 and 7-5 victories over the Eagles on Saturday.
The Eagles drop to 2-4 in the RMAC and are 2-13 overall. New Mexico Highlands improved to 2-4 in conference and 4-14 overall.
Lani Davis had a three-hit night while
Elizabeth Thorngren smacked a two-run double to lead CSC offensively.
Charley Pitrat,
Payton Sullivan and
Brogan Allen also drove home runs for the Eagles in the second game.
Game one was a bonafide pitcher's duel.
Belle Akins threw a complete game and allowed just five hits while striking out eight but was ultimately outdueled by Highlands pitcher Jolissa Valdez, who threw seven innings while giving up just one unearned run on two hits.
New Mexico Highlands scored in the first inning when, with runners on first and second, the Cowgirls attempted a double steal and an errant throw to third base ended up in left field and allowed a run to score.
The Cowgirls added on the fourth when another errant throw from behind the plate, this time on a back pick, advanced a runner from first to third that scored on a sacrifice fly. The Cowgirls added another that inning when, with two outs, the NMHU center fielder singled, stole second and scored on another single.
CSC's only run of game one was unearned, as well.
Payton Sullivan led off with a single before the Eagles moved her around to third with a pair of groundouts.
Charley Pitrat hit a grounder to short that was not fielded cleanly, allowing the run to score. Aside from Sullivan's single, a two-out single by
Sophia Brennan in the seventh inning was the only hit of the opening game for Eagle bats.
Chadron State found themselves down 7-0 after five innings in the second game.
Brynn Trujillo started on the mound and pitched 3.1 innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits and four walks.
McKenna Sides pitched the rest of the way, holding the Cowgirls to just one run on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
CSC got back in the game in the sixth inning. Two singles and a fielder's choice loaded the bases with one out for pinch-hitter
Brogan Allen, who came through with a base hit to left to move everybody up 90 feet and put the Eagles on the board.
A fielding error on the pitcher on a ball hit by Sullivan brought home a second run before the Eagles went station-to-station again on a Pitrat single to make it 7-3. Thorngren followed with a double down the left field line, CSC's first extra-base hit of the day, to bring home two more runs and put the tying run in scoring position at 7-5, but Highlands escaped the threat and then worked around a two-out hit by pitch to retire the Eagles in the seventh.
The two teams will conclude their series tomorrow, with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
