The streak reaches 30. The Colorado Mesa University softball team edged Colorado School of Mines (CSM) over the weekend, however, it was a close battle as CSM gave CMU a run for their money. But the Mavericks prevailed by sweeping the Sunday doubleheader by winning the first game 13-8 and the second game 10-2
The first game, while seeming to be in the bag, turned out to almost spoil the Mavericks winning streak. The first four innings were relatively calm, with a single run by CSM in the first and the Mavericks getting six runs in the first three innings.
Then came the fifth inning; CSM managed to get seven points up on the scoreboard. The first two runs were homers, then an RBI off of a triple and two more homers.
To make matters worse, the Mavericks were able to respond with only a single run in the bottom of the fifth.
“There were some mistakes: one on second and a kind of fluke play in the outfield,” Head coach Ben Garcia said. “Those were uncharacteristic things for our team to do, we didn’t play the way we are capable of. I also give them credit for hitting the ball, they had four home runs in that inning.”
The struggles, however, did not last long for CMU. The sixth inning came and CMU would go on six-run onslaught in which would drive any chance Colorado Mines’ chances of defeating the Mavericks. The six-run sixth was capped by the single by Brooke Hodgson in which knocked in two runs. Hodgson, the day before, broke the school and RMAC record for most RBI in a career. Hodgson would add four RBI in the first game and one in the second game.
“They had the composure to come back from it,” Garcia said. “That’s what good teams are made of: they have to find ways to win even in adverse situations. That is what I am so proud of, the girls are resilient, nothing gets them down.”
The second game was much more reflective to the way CMU has performed all season, by keeping CSM down to only two runs off of seven hits, both achieved in the fourth, while CMU knocked in ten points off of 11 hits. There were no home runs from either team in which ended the Mavericks home run streak that lasted over 15 games.
The pitching and defense had a bit of a tough spot in the first game, with eight strikeouts between McKenzie Surface and Kimbri Herring in the first, paired with the seven-score inning saw a strained period for the team. They were able to pull themselves out of the funk and win. The second was pitched entirely by Brooke Hodgson, with her fourth game pitching and achieving four strikeouts, showing that the Mavericks have such a talented roster.
“We need to fix up some things defensively and give the pitchers and team a rest,” Garcia said. “They have become a little fatigued from being on the road so long and with school work. These home games will be great for us and for the girls to show what they can do.”
The next games are once again at home and will be against Fort Lewis on March 30. This will be the first back-to-back home series for the Mavericks all season and they will look to make the most of it in order to keep the streak going.
