LAS VEGAS, N.M. – It was home sweet home finally for the Cowgirls, and boy did they provide a pair of treats to the home faithful.
New Mexico Highlands (8-16, 3-10 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) got the bats going in game one for a 9-4 win and used solid all-around pitching in game two for the 2-0 win as Highlands took two from CSU-Pueblo (12-14, 8-6 RMAC) Saturday afternoon (March 21) at the HU Softball Fields.
"We played good defense, had good hitting and we had good pitching. When you put those three together, you win games," head coach
Karin Gadberry put it succinctly. "It was great for us to go out there and get our first sweep of the day in conference play this year and it puts us back in the hunt to play for a spot in the Conference Tournament."
The Cowgirls are now a perfect 4-0 on the home opening day in two seasons under Coach Gadberry
. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth of game one, the Cowgirls loaded the bases with two outs. Sophomore
Katelyn Bates squared up to the 0-2 pitch and smashed it to left center for her team-leading sixth home run of the season to turn a two-run deficit into a two-run lead. Sophomore
Gabby Hansell added insurance runs when she hit a two-RBI double in the fifth and later scored on a fielding error by CSU-Pueblo.
"Katelyn had the big shot that really put the dagger in out there. She is really good at doing that," Gadberry added.
The Thunderwolves threatened off of senior starting pitcher
Jessica Brink (4-7) with a hit in the sixth and a pair of base knocks in the seventh, but Brink slammed the door on the Thunderwolves with a pair of groundouts to end the game.
The Cowgirls got production out of the middle of the lineup as each of the 2-5 hitter went 2-for-4. Bates added two runs scored and four RBI's while senior
Jacquelyn Wood had a pair of runs scored. Her two hits on the day both came with two strikes. Brink got the complete game win, allowing four runs (three earned) and nine hits with seven strikeouts.
"They kept throwing Jacki outside and she kept fighting those pitches off. With two strikes, she was able to find the hole between third and short. Don't be surprised if they pitch her inside tomorrow," Gadberry explained. "She just battled up there and did a really good job of extending at-bats."
CSU-Pueblo used two home runs, both traditional and non-traditional, to take a quick 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Alyssa Ubrun hit a solo home run to left field. That opened the floodgates as Kennedy Smith got a hit and an error by the Cowgirls put a pair in scoring position. Alexa Snyder hit a liner to left that fell in and bounced off of Wood's glove for the inside-the-park home run.
However, the CSU-Pueblo lead was short lived as Bates flipped the score with her grand slam in the bottom of the fourth.
Madison Wolfe (5-5) took the loss for CSU-Pueblo, allowing 10 hits and nine runs in 4.1 innings of work.
Game two saw Highlands again with 10 hits, but the Cowgirls scored both runs needed in the bottom of the third for the shutout win. CSU-Pueblo could not score in the first three innings despite two walks, a hit batsman and a single, but the Cowgirls finally exploded in the bottom of the third. Junior
Ka'uilani Kamai led off the inning with her first triple of the season and scored on Wood's poke through the left side. Wood went to second on Bates' single and both runners moved up on a groundout. Freshman
Destiny Navarro squeaked a ball through the middle infield for the RBI single.
Kamai finished the game a home run short of the cycle in as many at-bats.
"KaKa has just had really good at-bats. She and Bates are really good at firing up the team, so that is why they are at the top of the lineup. To get us going early in the game," Gadberry explained.
Freshman
Michelle Brincefield was able to keep the Thunderwolves off the board through six innings, but CSU-Pueblo loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Brink came in to close the game and immediately got two strikes on Lexie Martindale. She hit a ball to the shortstop, but the umpire ruled runner's interference. Snyder was out on the play and everyone returned to their original base with Martindale awarded first on the fielder's choice. Wolfe struck out looking on a full count as Brink recorded the save, her first and the Cowgirls first of the season.
Brincefield improved to 3-3 on the season, allowing five hits and four walks but no runs.
"Michelle pitched a really good game and got into a little trouble at the end," Gadberry said. "Jessica is a senior, and she did what she is supposed to do. Seniors are supposed to come in and close out games. Michelle did a good job getting us to the seventh and Jessica walked out there and cleaned up the house."
The Cowgirls close out the home series Sunday (March 22) with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. against CSU-Pueblo.
