CHADRON, Neb. – The Colorado School of Mines showcased their depth in both pitching and hitting, completing a four-game sweep over Chadron State with 10-0 and 8-1 seven-inning wins over the Eagles on Sunday in Chadron.
Although Chadron State (4-37, 4-28 RMAC) tallied 11 hits across Sunday's two games after only managing six on Saturday, Colorado School of Mines (20-22, 16-16 RMAC) only led the Eagles cross the plate once despite not using either pitcher that they used on Saturday.
Catcher
Tiffani Mein had two of CSC's four hits in Sunday's opener, including a double, while
Brogan Allen and
Sydney Lowery each hit two-hit games in the series finale. Allen got on base four times across seven plate appearances during Sunday's doubleheader.
Game one was competitive early, with Chadron State trailing just 2-0 through five innings, but the Orediggers piled on three runs in the sixth and five runs in the top of the seventh to make the final margin double digits. The visitors scored early in game two, leading 7-1 after four innings and adding a single run in the sixth.
The Orediggers had 23 different players participate in Sunday's doubleheader, with 20 different players getting at least one plate appearance. In game one alone, Mines was the beneficiary of three pinch-hit singles that drove home a combined six runs.
Brynn Trujillo started game one for the Eagles and threw 6.1 innings while allowing 10 hits, seven runs (five earned) and striking out five. Trujillo gave up one run in the first, but allowed just three baserunners between the second and fourth innings and conceded an unearned run in the fifth.
The back-breaking hit came with two outs and two on in the sixth inning when Mines freshman pitcher Madyson Ortiz, who began as the flex, entered the batting order for her first plate appearance after already holding the Eagles scoreless for five innings. Ortiz, a high school teammate of Trujillo's at Riverdale Ridge in Commerce City, Colorado, took the CSC hurler deep for a three-run shot that put the Orediggers up five.
The floodgates continued to open in the seventh as Mines sent 10 batters to the plate and scored another five runs.
McKenna Sides come on out of the bullpen to get the final two outs.
Belle Akins threw game two and went the distance. The sophomore scattered 10 hits but two ill-timed CSC errors meant that only three of the eight runs allowed by Akins were earned. The Eagles were unable to take advantage of three Oredigger defensive miscues.
Chadron State scored its only run of the day in the first inning of the finale.
Charley Pitrat drew a leadoff walk while
Macie Selfors replaced her after a fielder's choice.
Elizabeth Thorngren placed a single just inside the left-field line to move Selfors up into scoring position.
Brogan Allen hit a line drive right at the Mines shortstop, who gloved it for out number two, but freshman
Sydney Lowery hugged the opposite foul line with a base hit over the first baseman's glove onto the right-field chalk to score Selfors.
The Eagles got two more baserunners in the second inning, but Mines made a pitching change after that in favor of Ellen Shull, who came on for the third. Shull pitched the remaining five innings, scattering five hits and holding the Eagles off the scoreboard.
Chadron State is set to hit the road to face Fort Lewis next Saturday and Sunday.
