The NMHU Softball team only managed to get one win from their four-game home series against the Roadrunners of Metro State College, on Saturday and Sunday, 3/17-18, at Brandt Field. The Roadrunners won both games of Saturday's double header. They took game one by the score of 8-2 and followed that up with a 6-3 victory in game two. On Sunday, Metro State continued their winning ways with a 3-0 victory in game one, but the Cowgirls rallied back in game two to get the 4-3 win. After their four-game series against the Roadrunners, the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach Shellie Broyles, improve to an 11-9 record in the RMAC and 16-14 in overall play.
In game one, on Saturday, both teams scored a run in the first inning. Metro State took the 2-1 lead in the second inning with a solo homerun. The Roadrunners extended their lead in the third inning with four runs from three hits. After three innings of play Metro State had a 6-1 lead. The Roadrunners got another run in the top of the fourth inning from a sacrifice fly. The Cowgirls got their second run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Shelby Watts hit a solo homerun over the wall in left-center field. Metro State put up another run in the top of the seventh inning and the Cowgirls weren't able to produce anymore offense. The Roadrunners got the game one victory, 8-2.
Jenelle Klassen (7-2) was credited with the loss in game one on Saturday for the Cowgirls. She threw a complete seven innings from the pitcher's circle and faced 38 batters. Klassen allowed eight runs on nine hits, with only seven runs being earned. She struck out three batters and walked six.
The Cowgirls' offense struggled in game one, combining for a .160 team batting average.
Shelby Watts hit a solo homerun and
Lynette Directo had an RBI.
In game two, on Saturday, Metro State was first to score in the third inning with a two-RBI double. The Roadrunners extended their lead to 3-0 with another run in the fifth inning. Metro State added three more runs from three hits in the top of the seventh inning. The Cowgirls attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. They put up three runs when
Shelby Watts hit an RBI double and
Jenelle Klassen hit a two-RBI double. The Cowgirls had two runners on base and the tying run at the plate but they weren't able to capitalize and the Roadrunners ended up victorious 6-3.
Jessica Brink (3-1) was credited with the loss in game two, on Saturday, for the Cowgirls. She threw a complete seven innings from the pitcher's circle and faced 33 batters. Brink allowed six runs on eight hits, struck out four batters and walked three.
The Cowgirls' offense fared a little better in game two of Saturday's double header. They combined for a .286 team batting average.
Jenelle Klassen was 2-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a two doubles.
Lynette Directo also finished the game 2-3, with a double and a run scored.
In the first game of Sunday's double header, Metro State took advantage of a two-hit shutout in the pitcher's circle by Aubree Maul. There weren't many hits in the game as the wind was gusting up to 60 mph at Brandt Field. The Roadrunners scored their first run in the second inning. Metro State then took the 3-0 lead with a two-run homerun over the right-center field wall. The wind played havoc with both offenses and when the seven innings were up the Roadrunners got the 3-0 victory.
Erica Wieck (5-9) earned the loss for the Cowgirls in game one on Sunday. She threw four and a third innings from the pitcher's circle and faced 25 batters. Wieck allowed three runs on five hits, but only two of the runs were earned. She struck out three batters and walked four.
Jessica Brink relieved Wieck in the fifth inning. She threw two and two-thirds innings for the Cowgirls and faced 10 batters. Brink didn't allow a run and only gave up one hit, striking out four batters and walking one.
The wind continued its ferocity in game two of Sunday's double header, but the Cowgirls were looking to salvage a win from their series against Metro State. The Cowgirls jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Roxanne Avalos hit an RBI single that scored
Erica Wieck and
Jenelle Klassen drew a walk with the bases loaded allowing
Devon Paiz to cross home plate. The Roadrunners tied the game up at two apiece in the top of the second inning off of a two-RBI double down the left-field line. The Cowgirls regained the lead in the bottom of the second inning when
Brittany Potter hit an RBI single to left field that scored
Devon Paiz from second base. After two innings of play the Cowgirl had the 3-2 lead.
Metro State tied the game up at three apiece in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI single.
Roxanne Avalos broke the tie for the Cowgirls with an RBI double to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Cowgirls sealed the 4-3 victory by shutting down the Roadrunners' offense in the top of the seventh inning.
Jessica Brink (4-1) earned the victory for the Cowgirls in the second game of Sunday's double header. She threw a complete seven innings from the pitcher's circle and faced 28 batters. Brink allowed four runs on three hits, but only one of the runs was earned. She struck out six batters and only walked one.
The Cowgirls' offense was finally able to produce enough runs to win in the final game of their series against Metro State. They combined for a .276 team batting average and scored four runs off eight hits in gale-force winds.
Roxanne Avalos was 2-3 at the plate with a double and two RBIs.
Devon Paiz finished the game 1-4 at the plate, with a double, a stolen base, and two runs scored.
The Cowgirls' offense struggled in their four game series against the Roadrunners. Some of their struggles can be blamed on the high-wind conditions they experienced on Sunday. Overall the Metro State pitching staff did a good job of controlling the Cowgirls during the weekend. Despite their struggles against the Roadrunners, the Cowgirls are still in fifth place in the RMAC and remain a conference contender.
The Cowgirls will continue conference action, on 3/24-25, as they travel to Denver, Colo., to face the Rangers of Regis University for a four-game series. The Rangers are currently in tenth place in the RMAC with a 5-7 conference record and 6-16 in overall play. Game one on Saturday, 3/24, is scheduled to begin at 12 pm and on Sunday, 3/25, at 11 am. Game two of both double-headers will begin shortly after the completion of game one. If you can't make it up to Denver to watch the Cowgirls in action, you can access the Live Stats from NMHU Athletics' Webpage
HERE.
Click
HERE For Complete Game One Stats
Click
HERE For Complete Game Two Stats
Click
HERE For Complete Game Three Stats
Click
HERE For Complete Game Four Stats
GO COWGIRLS!!!
