COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Cowgirls belted three home runs on the day, but the Mountain Lions countered with eight runs in both games as New Mexico Highlands (1-11, 0-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost 8-4 in game one and 8-5 in game two to UC Colorado Springs (5-8, 3-5 RMAC).
With Highlands down 6-0 in game one and the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, junior
Ka'uilani Kamai blasted a grand slam to quickly cut the deficit to two. However in the first game, the Mountain Lions' Emily Jennings led off the fourth and fifth with home runs. Tressa Radach led off the third with a home run while Dani Fonesca followed Jennings in the fifth with a solo shot for UC-Colorado Springs.
Leading the Cowgirls was Kamai and sophomore
Gabby Hansell, who went 2-for-3. Senior
Jessica Brink took the complete game loss in the circle, falling to 0-6 by allowing eight hits and eight runs (seven earned) with 11 strikeouts.
For UC Colorado Springs in game one, Jennings, Fonseca and Radach all went 2-for-3 and combined for five runs, five RBI's and four home runs. Stephanie Chitkowski improved to 2-2, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned) with 15-of-21 outs recorded via the strikeout.
The Mountain Lions jumped out to a 7-1 lead and ever looked back in an 8-5 win in game two. Down by six, Bates singled and junior
Amber Cordero homered to cut the deficit to four in the fourth. Bates added a solo home run in the fifth and Kamai singled, stole second and scored on junior
Dekota Monarrez's double in the seventh.
Kamai, junior
Ashton Borunda, and Monarrez all went 2-for-4 while Cordero went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored. Junior
Isabel Villalobos fell to 0-2, allowing six hits and six runs in 1.1 innings pitched.
After scoring two runs in the bottom of the first, the Mountain Lions blew game two open with four runs. Paige Duncan doubled and advanced to third on Makenna Smith's single. Whitney Weber singled in a run and advanced to second on the throw to put a pair in scoring position. After a walk, Jennings hit a sacrifice fly and Fonseca doubled in a pair of runs.
Weber led the way with three hits in four at-bats with two runs scored and two RBI's. Jennings had no hits but drove in three runs. Korey Kulpins improved to 2-4, allowing nine hits and three runs with four strikeouts.
The Cowgirls return to action tomorrow for the final two games against UC Colorado Springs. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.
