By: John Murphy
CSC Sports Information Director
CHADRON, Neb. -- Despite Mackenzi Kroll hitting three home runs in Friday's game one, the Colorado Christian Cougars defeated the Chadron State Eagles in the two team's double header, winning game one 10-8 before having an 8-0 victory in five innings during game two.
The loss drops Chadron State to 5-29 overall and 5-19 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. #8 CCU improves to 33-4 overall and 25-3 in the conference.
In the 10-8 loss in game one, the Eagles scored the second most runs by a team in a game against the Cougars this season. The only team to score more was St. Mary's, who defeated Colorado Christian 12-10. CSC also hit a new season high with five home runs.
Chadron State built an early 4-0 lead after two innings. Lauren Zimmerman, a junior from Reno, Nevada, smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to begin the games scoring.
Kroll, a senior from Brighton, Colorado, added her first homer of the game in the inning, extending CSC's lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the second, Jorja Sierra, a freshman from Morrison, Colorado, extended the Eagles lead to 4-0 with her first collegiate home run.
The Cougars tied the game in the top of the third inning with a solo homer, a two-run homer and an RBI-double.
It did not take long for the Eagles to respond to the Cougars run. In the bottom of the third, Kroll launched her second homer of the day, this time scoring two runs to give CSC a 6-4 lead.
Colorado Christian regained the lead in the top of the fourth when they scored their final six runs. The visitors had six runs with five hits in the inning while the CSC defense recorded three errors.
Trailing 10-6, Kroll hit her third home run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 10-7.
A deep fly ball by Ashland Baca scored Brady Lacuomer in the bottom of the seventh but runners were left stranded on first and second, ending the game 10-8 in CCU's favor.
Tori Haug, a senior from Commerce City, Colorado, dropped to 3-11 on the season in 3.1 innings of work. Kenzi Garner, a junior from Broomfield, Colorado, pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing only two hits and one run.
Kalia Eastburn improved to 6-1 overall in 4.1 innings for CCU.
The Eagles finished the game with eight runs and hits with three errors. The Cougars recorded ten runs on 11 hits.
In CCU's 8-0, five inning game two victory, they scored one run in the first and second inning before adding six in the top of the sixth.
An RBI single scored one in the top of the first before the lone error of the game by the CSC defense allowed a run in the top of the second.
With runners on the corners in the top of the fourth, Cheyenne Stark launched the first of three homers in four at bats for CCU.
Stark's homer put the guests up 5-0 before a solo homer added another run. The final two runs were scored after a batter was hit by a pitch and brough home by a Kenzie Middleton homer to left field.
The Eagles left a runner stranded at third in the bottom of the fourth inning and were unable to get a hit in the final half inning.
Brooklyn Levin, a freshman from Littleton, Colorado, received the loss in 3.2 innings of work. Garner pitched 1.1 innings of relief.
Chadron State finished the game with five hits and one error, compared to its opponents eight runs on eight hits.
After the Easter holiday, Chadron State will hit the road to Grand Junction, Colorado for four games against the 27-7 Colorado Mesa Mavericks on Saturday and Sunday.