LAS VEGAS, N.M. - The Cowgirls rallied in both games to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Eagles held on in both as New Mexico Highlands (16-24, 10-17 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost a doubleheader to Chadron State (12-28, 12-16 RMAC) 8-3 in game one and 8-5 in game two.
In game one down 5-0, the Cowgirls brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth. With one out,
Gabby Hansell doubled and freshman
Destiny Navarro walked. Junior
Ashton Borunda doubled to clear the bases and scored on a senior
Jessica Brink single. However, two groundouts ended the Cowgirls' threat.
The Eagles scored three big insurance runs when Jessica Eatmon tripled with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh. The Cowgirls loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame but failed to score.
Borunda had two hits in as many at-bats with a run scored. Brink fell to 9-10 in the circle, allowing eight runs and 13 hits for the complete-game loss.
Chadron State started the game with a pair of singles around a sacrifice bunt before Casey Polk hit her fifth home run of the year. The Eagles added two more in the fifth when Aspen Eubanks doubled with one out and scored on Zoe Humphries double. Katelyn Kruger added a two-out, RBI single.
Courtney Lecher was 3-for-4 with a run scored while Eubanks had two hits and two runs scored. Tayler Hall got the win in the circle, allowing five hits and three runs with six strikeouts to improve to 10-10 for the season.
In game two with the Cowgirls down 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth, they had a golden opportunity to get back in the game but could only score one. Senior
Jacquelyn Wood led off the inning with a single and junior
Jacquelyn Solis walked. Navarro singled to load the bases and Borunda got a base knock as Highlands played station-to-station softball. However, two strikeouts and a groundout kept the damage to a minimum.
Chadron State scored a single tally in the top of the seventh, but Highlands scored four in the bottom of the inning and actually brought the tying run to the plate. Sophomore
Alysia Cavone singled before junior
Dekota Monarrez hit her fourth home run of the year. Sophomore
Katelyn Bates walked to load the bases with two outs before a pair scored on Hansell's two RBI single. Brink represented the tying run at the plate, but she grounded out to end the game.
Freshman
Michelle Brincefield took the loss in the circle to fall to 5-7, allowing eight runs and 12 hits in the complete-game loss.
The Eagles tallied six runs in the top of the third to blow the game open. Lecher walked to begin the inning and scored on Eubank's double. Polk then singled and advanced two bases on an error to score Eubanks. A Humphries' single scored Polk before Shea Graham capped the inning with a three-run home run, her fifth of the season.
Cierra Cosslett held on to improve to 2-10 on the season, allowing nine hits and five runs for Chadron State.
The Cowgirls close out play on the road next weekend (April 18-19) at Western New Mexico.
