Eric R. Flores
The Paw Print
Adams State College freshman Jennie Archambault cashed in on a huge seventh-inning pinch hit opportunity in the top of the seventh inning of the second game of Friday’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader against the UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions. Archambault connected on the 1-2 pitch and hit a 3-run homer to right field that proved to be the game-winning RBI as the Grizzlies won the nightcap of the twin bill, 8-5, after falling 4-3 in the series-opener.
The Mountain Lions then rebounded and swept Saturday’s doubleheader, 6-5 and 3-0.
Friday started off quickly for both teams as it appeared the first game was going to be pitching duel as both pitchers were able to keep the opposing teams off the scoreboard until the fourth inning when Adams State (26-23, 18-18 RMAC) was able to crack through on back-to-back solo home runs from junior Rebecca Lindquist and senior Jaycee Lovato.
The Mountain Lions (20-24, 17-18 RMAC) then rebounded in the bottom half of the inning with a 3-run homer of their own to take a 3-2 lead. They then tacked on one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly.
In the sixth inning, junior Lizzy Schossow had a single to get the Grizzlies within one; however, they could not get the tying or go-ahead run.
The second game started off quickly for the Grizzlies as they were able to tack on three runs on three hits and two errors as sophomore Katelyn Lovato, freshman Carly DeLorenzo and Lindquist scored. After an RBI single from Lindquist, the Grizzlies held a 4-run lead.
UCCS then used a bases-loaded walk and a fielding error to close the gap to two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning before a 3-base error off the bat of DJ Consonero allowed Schossow to score all the way from first base and extend the lead to 5-2.
After a single Mountain Lion run in the bottom of the sixth, the 3-run pinch-hit homer from Archambault proved to be timely and important as the Mountain Lions nabbed two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Senior Rachel Lovato pitched two complete games as she went 1-1 and allowed 11 runs, nine of which were earned, on 15 hits, with nine walks and five strikeouts.
The Mountain Lions won the Saturday’s first game 3-0, none of which were earned, as they tallied six hits and four walks against senior pitcher Sarah Lindquist, who missed both of Friday’s games as a precautionary measure after getting hit with a ball during Thursday’s practice. Lindquist then allowed nine hits and two walks to give up the six runs, all earned, despite striking out seven batters during the doubleheader. With the two complete games on Sunday, Lindquist now owns the single-season record for complete games in a season with 22.
The second game was intense during the whole game as the two teams traded leads with each other. The Grizzlies struck first with an RBI single by Jaycee Lovato to score DeLorenzo in the first inning. UCCS answered in the home half of the frame with a solo homer by Lara Mathewson.
Katelyn Lovato’s one-out triple, her ninth of the season, in the third inning turned into a 2-1 Adams State lead RBI groundout to the pitcher.
UCCS again answered immediately as Mathewson nailed her second homer of the game, a 2-run shot, to put the Mountain Lions up 3-2 in the bottom of the third.
Consonero opened the fifth inning with her second career homer to tie the game at 3. The Grizzlies then put runners on the corners however they were unable to score.
Once again, UCCS was able to find a way to score some more runs as they strung two hits and a stolen base together to get to runs and a 5-3 lead headed into the sixth inning.
Solo home runs by the game’s first basemen, Payne and UCCS’ Caitlin Connelly, made it 6-5 and set up the dramatic seventh inning.
The inning started with a single from Else to centerfield that skipped past the centerfielder to the fence to let Else advance to second base. Head coach Dervin Taylor then used a pinch hitter, and wanted to use junior Melinda Velasquez; however, after noticing that she had already pinch ran earlier in the game, he opted for senior Erin Myers. She did not disappoint as she nailed the first pitch she saw to left field and on excellent base running, advanced to second base on a throw aimed to home plate.
Katelyn Lovato fouled out to third base followed by a pop up to the second baseman by DeLorenzo to give the Grizzlies two outs. Rebecca Lindquist then ripped a shot right at the pitcher, who tried to nab the ball, however it went off the heel of her glove and rolled to a stop between her and third base for a single to score Else from third. After a quick meeting at the mound, Jaycee Lovato was called out as she was caught looking.
The first game was not any nicer to the Grizzlies as they only had two walks and hits in the third and fourth inning and could not get a timely hit.
Three defensive errors allowed the three runs to score and the Grizzlies lost despite allowing no earned runs on the day.
UCCS improved to 17-18 in RMAC play and 20-24 overall to move into eighth place in the conference standings, a game ahead of Nebraska-Kearney and 1.5 games ahead of Chadron State.
The Grizzlies are still tied with CSU-Pueblo (19-22 18-18 RMAC), who lost both of Saturday’s games to Mesa State, and both teams are a half game ahead of UCCS.
The Grizzlies will try and clinch a playoff berth over the weekend when they take on Chadron State (20-25, 16-20 RMAC) in a 4-game series.
Saturday is Parents’ Day while Sunday is Senior Day. Saturday’s doubleheader will be broadcast on KSPK-FM (104.1 in Alamosa) and online at kspk.com. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
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