By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information Director
CHADRON, Neb. -- March 7, 2020 -- For the first time this season, the Chadron State College softball team won back-to-back games on the same day, as the Eagles' pitching staff held the visiting Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves to just two earned runs and two unearned in a doubleheader sweep at CSC Softball Field on Saturday.
Pueblo led off the noon game with two runs in the top of the first, and held the lead through three and a half innings, before Chadron State rallied in the bottom of the fourth and held on to win 4-3.
The ThunderWolves started off with two doubles and a single in their go-ahead first at-bat, but CSC answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff triple by Bailey Marvel. Gabby Russell singled her home to make it 2-1.
Pueblo tacked on an unearned run on an error in the top of the fourth, but on the same play left fielder Angelica Maples recovered the ball and threw a second runner out at home, with catcher Bailey Rominger making the tag. That held the ThunderWolves at three runs for the game.
Chadron State's fourth inning benefitted from a pair of CSUP errors, putting Maples on board and later sending her across the plate after a stolen base. Later, Marvel scored the tying run on a Addison Spears single, and Spears scored the go-ahead from first on a double by Russell.
A pair of double plays by the CSC defense in the fifth and sixth innings, and a game-ending strikeout by pitcher Tia Kohl ensured the win for the Eagles.
Kohl evened her record at 5-5 on the season, and now has 23 and two-thirds consecutive innings without issuing a walk. Pueblo pitcher Samantha Riesen, who batted 2-for-2 and led her team with two RBI, remained winless in the circle at 0-6.
The Eagles didn't let the later game remain as close.
CSC slapped out eight base hits, all singles, in the 9-1 win that ended in the sixth, when the team took advantage of the run rule to walk off on an Alyx Gragg pinch-hit single. Half of the Eagles' hits were in the final frame.
Three Pueblo errors and three base hits by CSC helped the Eagles get out to a 7-0 lead in the first three innings.
Pueblo got one run back in the fourth on a passed ball, but CSC came back with two more in the sixth to seal the deal.
Spears, Russell, Rominger, and Gragg all hit safely to put the game-clinching runs across, while Mackenzi Kroll added a sacrifice fly.
CSC pitcher DeAnna Barrera allowed only three hits in the game while striking out five, to get to 4-7 with the win. Pueblo twirler Taylor Strupp went to 0-5.
The Eagles are now 9-12 overall and 4-6 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, headed into Sunday's final two games with the ThunderWolves, who are now 1-19 and 1-9 in league play.