LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Despite facing their first deficit of the season, the Colorado School of Mines softball team found some timely offense as the Orediggers used back-to-back three-run innings to upset NFCA Division II Preseason No. 11 and NCAA Super Regional finalist Cal. State Dominguez Hills, 6-1, in their third game of the Desert Stinger tournament in Las Vegas.
Senior ace and two-time RMAC Pitcher of the Year, Kelly Unkrich, followed up last night's two-run, three-hit performance with a one-run, five hit gem Saturday against the Toros (6-2). The lone score came on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third that gave CSDH the 1-0 lead and snapped the Mines' streak of consecutive innings with the lead or tied at 41.
Along with scattering the five hits, Unkrich (3-0), the school's all-time strikeout leader, matched her season-high with seven whiffs, giving her 446 for her career.
Junior transfer Courtney Derus provided the offensive firepower, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, a new season-high for her in the Silver-and-Blue.
After three errors loaded the bases for Mines with no outs in the top of the fifth, Derus singled home pinch-runner Dana Gallegos and upon freshman Elise Dugwyler also coming home on the play, senior Kamee Vessey lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score classmate Macy Jones.
Junior Melissa Marshall opened the sixth with a single through the left side; sophomore Cassie Ford followed with a double to rightfield and junior Gianna Duncan connected on a base hit back up the middle, scoring pinch-runner Morgan Anderson. Following a five-pitch free pass to Dugwyler, Derus ripped a one-out double down the left field chalk, allowing Duncan and Ford to score for the five-run lead.
Duncan, Vessey, Jones, Marshall and junior Sami Springer all collected a base hit in the contest with Duncan and Vessey both driving in one.
Mines, 6-0-1, will look to keep its unbeaten streak alive later this evening at 8 p.m. (MST) against West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs were one of 13 squads listed in the Other Receiving Votes group of the NFCA Preseason Division II Top-25 Poll.
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