By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information
CHADRON, Neb. -- April 18, 2021 -- The Chadron State College softball team enjoyed a pair of wins on Sunday as they hosted Black Hills State University for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader.
"It was huge to get these two wins today," said CSC Head Softball Coach Kaley Ness. "Consistency has been an issue for our team, and we've still been trying to put all three phases of the game together, so it was really nice to see the team step up and excel."
The Eagles (10-20, 10-16 RMAC) took game one by a 10-7 margin after getting out to an early 10-2 lead, and they run-ruled the Yellow Jackets (3-26, 3-26 RMAC) in game two, winning 8-0 in five innings.
CSC pitchers Gabby Russell (2-2) and Peyton Propp (5-9) each picked up wins in the circle, with Propp adding her season's first save in the earlier game.
BHSU got on the board first, with a second-inning, two-run double by Bell Luebken which plated one unearned and one earned run, in the noon game.
CSC answered with two of its own in the bottom of the inning. Jessie Henchenski singled on to lead off, and after a passed ball, Angelica Maples batted her in with another single. Later, a double by Bailey Marvel represented the third base hit in the inning, as well as the second run, with Maples able to score on an error at home.
Six hits produced four more runs for the Eagles in the bottom of the third, and CSC jumped on top 6-2. Ellie Owens, Mackenzi Kroll, Maples, and Bailey Rominger each had RBI base hits, in that order. Kroll's came on a double to right field with two outs.
The Eagles reached run rule eligibility in the bottom of the fourth, going up 10-2. Four more hits and two hit batters did the trick, as Kroll smashed her second RBI double of the game, and Rominger repeated the feat later with two outs. Gabby Russell added an RBI single, and Maples had a sac fly in the inning.
Their backs to the wall, the Yellow Jackets battled back in the top of the fifth. A leadoff single by Luebken and a double by Gianna Haley turned into a sac fly by McKayla Perry. An RBI single by Shayla Tuschen made it 10-4 CSC, and a two-run blast to center by Baileigh Hubbard cut it 10-6.
Another run crossed in the Yellow Jackets on a Haley single, and BHSU made it a game again, at 10-7. However that was the end of the rally as Propp entered and pitched an inning and one-third, striking out three and grounding out the fourth batter.
Crystal Amaral, the BHSU No. 1 pitcher, fell to 2-13 on the season in the loss.
Propp continued to pitch well in game two, pitching a no-hit shutout through four innings before it was broken up by a leadoff single in the fifth. She completed the game without allowing a run to score.
Nearly all of the Eagles' scoring came in the third inning. After an second-inning RBI single by Maples, who went 5-for-5 on Sunday, CSC put together a seven-run third made possible by two walks, three singles, and three extra base hits.
Maples and Marvel each had RBI doubles, while Rominger's double brought in two runs. Sloane Quijas and Russell each had RBI singles, and Jessie Henchenski tacked on a run with a sac fly.
"Offensively, we've been working on staying aggressive in the count, and attacking the first pitch we like," said Marvel, the sophomore shortstop."
"On defense, I always want our pitchers to be able to trust me. I just want to boost their confidence by being able to make plays. I also love cheering on the pitchers, and Peyton [Propp] was able to get a lot of strikes today even though she wasn't getting all the calls."
Breanne Henricksen took the loss for the Yellow Jackets, falling to 0-7.
Eight of nine players in CSC's starting order had base hits in the 8-0 win, and all nine hit safely at some point during the day.
As a team, CSC batted .519 with nine doubles, for the day.
Because the doubleheader scheduled for Saturday was postponed, due to field conditions, another one may be scheduled at a later date, to count toward RMAC standings.