The Mavericks took the doubleheader from the Cougars in the first two games of the series.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) pulled out two wins against a very good Colorado Christain University team (CCU) Saturday afternoon. In a series that would matter at the end of the season, both teams gave it their all until the very end.
CMU knew that they had a big series coming up against the Cougars this weekend but the mindset they had coming in was that it is just another softball game.
“We talked before the game and all week there has been a lot of hype around this series, we know that, but we just made a point to say that it is just another softball game and don’t make it bigger then it is. It is important but it’s just softball so just come out and play like we know how and that showed in the first game. In the second game we didn’t get as many hits as we would have liked but I mean we still came out with it so just having that fire and that will to win and we had that today,” redshirt junior Paige Adair said.
All season the Mavericks have capitalized on scoring in bunches and that is what they did again in game one Saturday.
A solo homerun got things started for the Mavericks by redshirt sophomore designated player/pitcher Ellie Smith, who hit two home runs in game one. Her second home run was a big part of the five run inning the Mavericks were able to come by in the second. She hit a two run home run to left center allowing redshirt sophomore Lauren Wedman to score as well.
On the previous play, Wedman doubled to left field allowing redshirt senior outfielder Brooke Doumer, redshirt freshman outfielder Drew Sims and redshirt sophomore Ashley Bradford to score.
Sims has provided speed to the Mavericks lineup as you can typically catch her bunt her way onto the base paths. Once she is on the defense better watch out because the CMU coaching staff is not afraid to have her run.
After the game, Sims discussed how she has really been able to get a hold of the outside pitches she sees at the plate and her philosophy that she has when she is trying to get a bunt down successfully.
“I mean the speed helps absolutely it does but it really does come down to the placement of the bunt even if it is an outside pitch because as a slapper I get a lot of outside pitches. Being able to reach that over the plate and still get that bat angle and get it over to the right side most of the time, my rule since the time I was 14 is if I run past the first baseman before she fields it then I will be safe,” Sims said.
During scoring Doumer slid into home but as the home plate umpire did not make a call it was apparent Doumer did not touch the bag. Not getting the tag put on her, Doumer went back and stepped on home just in case.
After the second inning was finished, the Mavericks had a 6-0 lead on the Cougars. In the sixth Smith hit a double that allowed Wedman to score as an unearned run for her team as she reached on a throwing error by catcher Caitlin McCarthy.
CCU did not count themselves out of this one quite yet as Samaria Roope came up in the seventh inning and hit a two run home run to right center field and made it a 7-2 ball game. That was not enough as Adair was able to get out of the inning and finish the first game for the Mavericks.
Adair earned her 13 win of the season as she got the ball for game one against the Cougars and she made sure that nothing was going to stop her.
Even though she got in a couple of traffic jams throughout the day she only gave up the two run home run to Samaria Roope and that was all.
Adair threw a complete game to start off the series for CMU. Through seven innings she allowed two hits and walked two. She was able to strike out five batters out of the 27 she faced.
Game two ended up being a pitchers duel and a defensive game for both teams.
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Nicole Christensen bobbled a ball at third base in the fifth inning allowing Kayla Middleton to score and Stephanie Day to go to second on the play. A sacrifice bunt by Caitlin McCarthy moved the runners over allowing first to be unoccupied. Samaria Roope then walked on a 3-2 loading the bases.
Christensen then got Smith out of the inning by catching a line drive hit by Sammi Edwards then stepping on third base to get Stephine Day out.
“ We asked them to be tough this weekend and that was an example of being tough and even though she did make a couple errors. We are getting ground balls and sometimes that does happen the pitchers did not let it affect them the rest of the team did not let it affect them so that was good,” interim head coach Mercedes Bohte said.
The momentum from that point forward shifted in the Mavericks favor as they already had one run on the board but were looking for insurance runs. Smith singled through the third base gap as Doumer scored the second and final run of the game.
Smith started the game in the circle and was able to pitch a combined complete game shutout with redshirt sophomore pitcher Shea Mauser coming in for relief. Combined the two pitchers had three strikes while walking the same amount of batters.
Smith was responsible for two strikes of those strikeouts in her four innings of work. Mauser came in for the final nine CCU outs and only faced 10 batters.
The Mavericks and Cougars continue their series with another doubleheader that will begin at 11 a.m. CMU will also be recognizing their two seniors in Doumer and redshirt senior first baseman Sarah Staudle, as it will be their final regular season games at the CMU softball field.
