Eric R. Flores
The Paw Print
The Adams State College Grizzly softball team and Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves traded blows as they split two straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheaders in as many days, at the Rawlings Softball Complex over the weekend.
The Grizzlies (8-5, 2-2 RMAC) won the first game 10-6 in a two-and-a-half hour battle before the ThunderWolves (3-6, 2-2 RMAC) retaliated with a 9-1 run-rule six-inning victory in Game 2 on Sunday.
Senior pitcher Sarah Lindquist helped lead the Adams State College Grizzlies to a 8-5 win over the ThunderWolves in game one of Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opening doubleheader here at Rawlings Softball Complex, on the CSU-Pueblo campus. before falling to a 9-1 run-rule five-inning loss on Saturday.
Freshman Tayler Else, who hit her first home run of her college career in the Game 1 win, Sunday, and freshman Carly DeLorenzo, who went 4-for-5 and three stolen bases, paced the Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, Sarah Lindquist continued to show her dominant presence in the pitcher’s circle as she picked up her seventh win of the young season. With the win, Lindquist is within six wins of the ASC Division II era (1993-present) record for wins in a career. The current record is held by former Grizzly Meghan Roberts.
The Grizzlies scored first on the day as sophomore Katelyn Lovato used her speed to reach base on a single to the shortstop before stealing second base.
Sophomore Alexis Gallego than brought her around on the very next pitch with a double to left center.
Both teams were then held off the scoreboard in the second and third innings.
The ThunderWolves finally broke into the score column as a two-run double down the left field line was by a single up the middle to give them the 3-1 lead.
The Grizzlies than retaliated when Else capped off an eight pitch at bat with a high sailing home run well past the 220-foot mark on the center field wall to close the gap to one.
Junior Rebecca Lindquist kept the momentum going in the top of the fifth inning as she led off with a homer, her second of the season, to left field off the scoreboard.
After an Else walk to begin the sixth frame, DeLorenzo’s speed forced a bad throw from the pitcher. The throw sailed down the right field line allowing Else to make it home and DeLorenzo to reach third. Gallego and Rebecca Lindquist drew walks to load the bases. Redshirt freshman Kristen Payne was able to capitalize and keep the inning going as she smashed a single up the middle for two runs.
A wild pitch followed by a Stephanie Dunham double to right field gave the Grizzlies two more runs. Junior Lizzie Schossow helped cap off the scoring when she placed a single to left field that was followed by a bad break for the catcher allowing Dunham to come around and score and the Grizzlies led 9-3.
The ThunderWolves were able to tally on three runs before Rebecca Lindquist reached on a fielding error by the shortstop allowed DeLorenzo to score their tenth run of the game.
Lindquist than closed out the game and got the complete game win by allowing six runs, three of which were earned, on 12 hits and five walks. She balanced those runners by having six strikeouts and stranded 12 ThunderWolves on the base paths.
Game two did not go as well for ASC as the ThunderWolves scratched out a run in the bottom of the first inning to get the early lead. The Grizzlies, who were only able to get two hits during the game, could not retaliate as they had in the previous game before they fell even further behind when CSU-Pueblo added four more runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Senior pitcher Rachel Lovato tried to keep the Grizzlies in the game as long as she could as she shut the door in the third and fourth innings.
The Grizzlies got their single run in the top of the fifth inning when DeLorenzo got a single to plate Dunham who was at third after an error on the shortstop.
Freshman Taylor Johnson than came in as a relief pitcher but was unable to hold off the ThunderWolves in her 1 1/3 innings pitched, as she allowed the final unearned run to come in.
Rachel Lovato, who was credited with her first loss of the season, allowed eight runs, five of which were earned, on 10 hits and two walks. She was also able to strand 11 runners.
On Saturday, the two teams started off on a strong defensive as each team had two scoreless frames in game one. That was quickly shattered in the top of the third when Katelyn Lovato got a two out rally started as she drew a walk. She stole second as Gallego drew a walk to put two on. Rebecca Lindquist brought the first two runs of the game in as she nailed a double to right center. Payne then hit a home run to left field off the scoreboard to cap off the Grizzlies four run innings.
The ThunderWolves retaliated with a bases loaded walk to close the deficit to 4-1. In the top of the fourth inning, Else doubled to right field before scoring when Lovato reached on a throwing error by the pitcher.
The Grizzlies than tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning. Rebecca Lindquist singled up the middle before Payne doubled to left field to set up the two-run rally. Sarah Lindquist than singled through the left side to bring her younger sister around before Else got another RBI with a single up the middle.
CSU-Pueblo than got single runs in the fifth and sixth innings before making the game interesting by tacking two on in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Sarah Lindquist allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on 12 hits and five walks while striking out three batters in her seven-inning complete game win.
In game two, the Grizzlies scored first after a Rebecca Lindquist double to right center and was brought around to score when Dunham hit a single to right field.
The ThunderWolves than went on and scored a single run in the first, second and third frames, before tacking on two in the fourth inning and four in the fifth to seal the walk-off victory.
The Grizzlies, who only were able to get five hits during the contest, committed three errors.
Johnson, who lost her second game of the year, only allowed five runs, three of which were earned, while walking one and striking out two.
Senior Marissa Elsberry, pitched two-thirds of an inning in the fifth inning, while allowing four runs, two of which were earned, on four hits.
The Grizzlies will now break in their new all-turf field as they host the Western New Mexico University Mustangs on Saturday. The home-opener, which is scheduled for noon, will be the first for the varsity squad on the field.
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