“Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots, and ruined your black tie affair,” said Garth Brooks in hit song “Friends in Low Places”, but was also sang by the Maverick softball team after their doubleheader victory against the Colorado School of Mines last Saturday. They sing this song together every victory, and there might be a lot of singing this year.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) have had their ups and downs early this season, going 2-4 during a road trip in Texas earlier this month, but then sweeping Fort Lewis coached by former Maverick standout pitcher Paige Adair, with a couple in dominant fashion,
“We were tested a little bit, and we came back situationally with some good sacrifice flies, some clutch home runs. When things were a little tough and to get out hit in a game, and still win was awesome,” said Head Coach Mercedes Bohte.
The series against Fort Lewis was a weird one, as the Mavs had to travel an extra 45 miles south to Bloomfield, New Mexico due to weather conditions in Durango, despite it being 60 degrees and sunny there. Coach Bohte said, however, it didn’t make a difference.
“Actually it was really nice where we were at, and it was a lot better than what Fort Lewis’ field would have been like. It was an easy little trip on the bus, and it was really nice. They can all listen to music, do their hair, stretch out, and kinda end up doing whatever they need to do before games,” said Coach Bohte.
The following weekend, the Mavs were due for their home opener against the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers. Both games were highlighted by solid pitching from both bullpens, as the Mavs won 3-1 and 5-4 in the double header.
In game one The Mavericks’ transfer pitcher Preslee Christensen went six innings for the Mavericks giving up just one run, while striking out nine and not allowing a single walk.
Pitcher Marissa Nehm came in relief for the final inning, sitting down her final three batters by way of a groundout. The pitching tandem for the Orediggers allowed eight Mavericks reach base, but led by some sacrifice hits and a catcher Ally Distler solo home run to left field CMU produced enough runs to support their pitchers
The second game of the afternoon looked to be all Mavericks after the third inning, as they held a commanding 4-0 lead, led by two runs batted in (RBI) from another transfer, outfielder Emma Roach.
Back-to-back two run innings for the Orediggers changed that, as the game sat tied until the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Fugate walked up to the plate, with extra innings all but guaranteed.
After watching ball one land in the dirt, she dribbled a ground ball down the left field line foul to even the count. On the next pitch Fugate made contact on the outside part of the plate, and sent the ball over the center field wall, to win the game for CMU.
\\ Jordan Messler for The Criterion
“It’s always kind of fun to win a game like that in the bottom of the seventh inning,” said Coach Bohte.
Fugate kept her postgame comments about the walk-off short and sweet.
“Awesome,” said Fugate.
The Mavericks currently sit rebounded since the early season now at 9-4 before a road trip to take on one of the country’s best in Colorado Christian University return to Grand Junction on March 16th to take on Adams State University.
