Eagles showcase new talent on opening day with split in Lubbock
By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information
LUBBOCK, Texas – February 7, 2020 – Chadron State College softball opened its 2020 season on Friday at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational, hosted by Lubbock Christian University. The Eagles split their first two games of the year, defeating Fort Hays State University 4-1 before falling 7-1 to their hosts.
All eight Eagles who started and ended the game in the batting order were able to reach base safely in CSC's earlier game against Fort Hays.
Meanwhile true freshman DeAnna Barrera, getting her first college start in the circle, kept a sheet clean of earned runs, giving up only one score in the first on a throwing error.
The rest of the scoring was done by Chadron State. Sophomore shortstop Bailey Marvel singled on in the third, stole second, and came home on an RBI single by freshman Sloane Quijas. Later, Quijas came in as well, scoring the winning run on a single by Ellie Owens.
After senior Bailey Rominger led off the fourth with a walk, consecutive singles by Marvel and freshman Addison Spears scored Rominger, putting CSC up 3-1.
Finally, Gabby Russell drove in Angelica Maples in the fifth inning to punctuate the score at 4-1.
The loss was the first of the season for Fort Hays, which defeated Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference member UC-Colorado Springs 14-10, earlier in the day, to begin its season
The Eagles left six baserunners stranded in the later game, which was decided by the same number of runs. Those were scattered over five separate innings, however, as Lubbock pitcher Jordan Wehr scattered four hits and a walk.
Each side committed only one error, but both shook off the dust early. The Chaps gave the Eagles a baserunner with a muffed throw in the top of the first, and advanced her on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, a walk put a Lubbock runner on the bases, and after two steals, a CSC error put her across the plate, giving the home team a 1-0 lead.
When Rominger homered to lead off the fifth inning, the Eagles finally busted their four-inning scoring drought and tied the game at one apiece.
However, the Chaps' bats finally began to ring true in the bottom of the fifth, and they ended CSC pitcher Tia Kohl's one-hitter with four runs on five base hits. They added two more runs on two hits in the sixth, for insurance.
Lubbock Christian remained perfect at 5-0 with the win, while CSC begins the season 1-1.
The Eagles are back in action at 9 a.m. MT on Saturday, with a morning game against Oklahoma Baptist University. They are scheduled to play Texas-Permian Basin at 1:30 p.m.