CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State put together its most complete offensive day of the season and withstood a home run barrage by the visiting Colorado Mesa Mavericks to split the first two games of a four-game series on Friday, losing the first 9-5 before winning the second 13-10.
It marks the second straight RMAC gameday with a win for the Eagles (6-41, 6-32 RMAC) while Colorado Mesa (22-24, 21-17 RMAC) snapped a four-game losing streak with their win before losing the nightcap.
Chadron State's 13 runs scored are a new single-game season-high while the 18 combined runs across the doubleheader are also the most in a day by the Eagles this season. They needed every bit of that offensive production to outslug a CMU team that hit eight home runs on a cold, windy day in Chadron.
Chadron State hit three home runs of its own, all in game two for another single-game high. The Eagles received a monster game-two performance from freshman
Brianna Cordray as the CSC third baseman hit two three-run home runs (the first two of her college career) to drive home six runs in the Eagles' win.
Sydney Lowery also hit her first collegiate home run in game two, providing a key bit of late-inning insurance as the Mavericks overcame a five-run deficit to win game one and made a run at the Eagles' lead in game two.
Belle Akins got the start in game one and held CMU scoreless for four innings. In the meantime, the Eagles built a 5-0 advantage centered around the bats of
Brogan Allen and
Brynn Trujillo, who both had three hits each in game one.
The Eagles took the lead in the first inning when
Elizabeth Thorngren doubled with two outs and Allen singled her home. CSC added a three-spot in the third on an RBI double by
Tiffani Mein and a clutch hit by Trujillo.
With one out and the bases loaded, Trujillo singled to right, scoring Allen. The Eagles planned to go station to station, but CMU's relay throw in got by the catcher and Mein alertly hustled home and slid under a tag to score a third run in the inning and give CSC a 4-0 lead. The Eagles tacked on with an RBI double by Allen in the fourth.
Unfortunately, the Mavericks found a power surge to turn the tides, hitting five home runs over the span of the final three innings to turn a 5-0 CSC lead into the eventual 9-5 final score. The Mavericks scored five times in the top of the seventh, with a three-run go-ahead home run by Makayla Westmoreland serving as the backbreaker.
In game two, the Eagles were determined to build an insurmountable cushion. Although Colorado Mesa scored three times in the top of the first, Chadron State erupted with six runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Eagles led 9-6 after two innings and 12-7 after five before hanging on for the 13-10 win.
Cordray was in the center of the fireworks. After the Eagles loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first and Allen scored two with an RBI single, Cordray came to bat with one out and worked the count full before blasting a pitch out to left-center field for her first home run of the season and a 5-3 CSC lead.
With the score tied at 6-6 entering the bottom of the second, Cordray found herself in another prime RBI spot after
Macie Selfors singled and Thorngren walked. This time, Cordray went to the opposite field, homering to right for her second three-run home run in as many innings to put the Eagles back on top, 9-6.
The Eagles scored twice without a hit in the fourth. Mein reached on an error and Trujillo drew a one-out walk before a pair of wild pitches scored Mein and put Trujillo on third. Lowery put the ball in play, grounding out to second and allowing Trujillo to score, making it 11-6.
Lowery earned another RBI with a solo blast to right-center field in the sixth inning. The freshman now has seven RBI this season, but four have come in the past three games.
Both teams' starting pitchers were chased in the first inning of game two, but
Brynn Trujillo pitched capably in relief for CSC. Trujillo threw 6.2 innings, allowing 11 hits and seven runs (six earned) while striking out eight.
The two teams will continue their series on Saturday. The doubleheader is set to start at 2 p.m. Senior Day will take place in between the first game and the second game.
