Colorado Mesa University (CMU) softball remains undefeated in Grand Junction as the secure two wins Saturday afternoon.
The sun was out over the CMU softball field and so were the bats as the Mavericks scored 23 runs in two games against the Cowgirls. The breeze helped the ball get out of the yard quickers and more efficiently as home runs were hit by both teams this afternoon.
Starting things off in game one, redshirt junior Paige Adair was in the circle for CMU and something Adair does not do often is give up home runs and she did just that in the first.
She gave up back-to-back solo shots to Camrynn Ziegler and Brooklynn DeLozier. It did not take the Mavericks long though to score off of New Mexico Highland University (NMHU) freshman Samantha Gamboa.
Freshman catcher Ally Distler would give her team the 3-1 lead as she hit a three-run home run to left field. The play allowed redshirt sophomore designated player Ellie Smith and outfielder Lauren Wedman to score.
After Gamboa scored on a single in the second it was the Mavericks game to lose from there.
Wedman homered down the left field line to give the Mavericks a 5-3 advantage with redshirt senior outfielder Brooke Doumer on base.
Doumer racked up three walks in the first game alone. After walking multiple times this weekend. Doumer leads the team in walks with 15. She also leads the team in hit by pitch with six.
Redshirt sophomore Ashley Bradford who was due for a home run this season got her first of the season come the third inning. She swung at the first pitch and made contact as redshirt senior Sarah Staudle would score on the play.
Wedman singled through the right side allowing redshirt freshman outfielder Drew Sims to score. Wedman finished the first game with three RBIs and four hits through four times up at bat.
After Adair gave up those three runs in the first two innings, she did not allow another run all day. Adair improved to 10-0 on the season. She went about as far as she could go in game one with three strikeouts, one walk and three earned runs.
The second game was in the Mavericks favor from the very beginning.
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Nicole Christensen got things started with a sacrifice fly to the shortstop for NMHU. Wedman was able to advance home on the play. After one the Mavericks had a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks scored on the small ball instead of the long ball in game two as a bases loaded Doumer single was enough for Staudle to make it 2-0 game. The scoring did not stop there in the second for the Mavericks, a Wedman walk would score Bradford.
An error came back to haunt the Cowgirls as a dropped fly ball from the center fielder allowed Smith to gather an RBI and had Sims touching home. A big Christensen single gave CMU a 6-0 lead as Wedman and Doumer both touched home.
A Distler double cleared the bases as Distler eventually would score on a throwing error by the shortstop with Staudle up to bat.
That is not all though because the Mavericks were not finished. When the Mavericks were already up 11-0 going into the fourth inning Wedman did it again and scored another run for her team.
Wedman lined up on a 1-1 count and tripled to right center field and Doumer scored again. Smith finished this one out and helped her own cause as Wedman was able to score on another Smith double.
Smith leads the team with 38 runs batted in while Wedman is sitting right behind her with 37. Smith also leads the team in doubles with 15. Wedman leads the Mavericks in batting average with .582.
Smith also delivered a great performance on the mound as well.
Smith only gave up one hit and one earned run throughout five innings. She relied on the solid defense around her and had three flyouts and seven groundouts. She was able to get the job done though as she had five strikeouts and only walked two batters.
The Mavericks will hit the road next weekend as they travel to Spearfish, S.D to take on Black Hills State University. The four game series will begin with a doubleheader on April 10 at noon.