GOLDEN, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines softball team did not allow nearly a two-hour protest delay in game one or a 7-2 deficit in game two to spoil its run to second straight RMAC regular-season championship. Mines won game one by a score of 7-2 and rallied back in game two for an 11-10 victory over Colorado Mesa on the final day of regular season play.
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
CSM scored four runs in the bottom of the first in game one as Sami Springer hit her fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot. A throwing error on the Mavericks pitcher gave the Orediggers a 4-0 lead.
Colorado Mesa scored a run in the fourth on an RBI triple but in the bottom of the fourth inning the Mavericks protested the game because of a play resulting in nearly a two-hour delay. A ruling was made and the game continued in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Mines added another run in the fourth on a Molly Thiebaut RBI single to make it 5-1. Paige Coufal doubled in two runs in the sixth to make it 7-1 in favor of the Orediggers.
Kelly Unkrich improved to 16-14 on the season as she allowed just one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts. Sarah Lustgraaf went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Springer and Coufal both drove in a pair of runs and Springer scored three times.
The Orediggers trailed 7-2 after the top half of the second inning but rallied back scoring five runs over the next two innings.
A four-run second was highlighted by a bases clearing triple from Sami Springer. Mines tied it in the third on Macy Jones' RBI single.
Mines scored four more times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 11-7 lead behind an RBI single from Springer, a two-RBI double from Lustgraaf and an Alyson Beck single.
The Mavericks scored three times in the sixth to pull within a run. Despite loading the bases in the seventh inning Unkrich got a ground out, fly out and struck out the final batter of the game to pick up her third save of the season.
Ashley Goletz improved to 13-7 on the season with the win striking out five in 5 2/3 innings of work. Springer finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Lustgraaf was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Beck finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Allysia Cisneros was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Kamee Vessey and Jones were both 2-for-4 in the game. Thiebaut extended her hitting streak to 12 games while Springer extended her hitting streak to 11 games.
The Orediggers (29-22, 26-14 RMAC) claimed their second consecutive RMAC regular-season championship and earned the right to host the conference tournament beginning on Thursday, April 26th. Mines will play Colorado Mesa at 1:00 pm at the CSM Softball Field. For the complete tournament bracket, CLICK HERE. More details will be posted at csmorediggers.com tomorrow.
