Cowgirls beat first-place UCCS, fall to third-place MSU Denver

LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands softball team started their three-team pod with UC Colorado Springs and MSU Denver strong on Saturday afternoon at Cowgirl Field – run-ruling the first-place Mountain Lions 10-1 in five innings and handing them their first conference loss.
 
But NMHU had the tables turned on them in their second game as the Cowgirls fell 11-1 to third-place MSU Denver.
 
The Cowgirls (2-9 overall, 2-5 RMAC) took advantage of a throwing error by UCCS (11-10, 7-2) that would've been the third out of the first inning by scoring four runs on  a two-out RBI single by Leah Osborn, a two-out wild pitch that scored Nicole Correia and a two-run RBI single by Olivia Muniz.
 
UCCS cut the lead to 4-1 in the top of the third before NMHU's Ashley Forshee blasted a two-out, two-run homer to make it 6-1. The Cowgirls closed out the game in the fifth thanks to an RBI single from Victoria Mata, an RBI groundout by Desiree Madrid and a two-run double by Correia to make the final 10-1.
 
Belinda Gonzalez went all five innings in the circle for the win for NMHU, giving up a run on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
 
Osborn went 3-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs for the Cowgirls, Mata was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run while Muniz and Forshee were each 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
 
In the second game against MSU Denver (11-9, 7-1), four Cowgirls errors led to seven unearned runs for the Roadrunners as the Cowgirls also couldn't get the bats going in the 11-1 loss. Isabella Scarale got the loss, going an inning and giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits. Osborn picked up two of the Cowgirls' four hits in the contest – including a double.
 
The teams conclude the three-team pod Sunday with NMHU taking on MSU Denver at 10 a.m. and UCCS at 2 p.m. while MSU Denver and UCCS play at noon.