Eric R. Flores
The Paw Print
Despite wind gusts up to 67 miles per hour that created dust storms that stopped the action on several occasions, the Regis Rangers finished off a 4-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference sweep by winning two games, 7-4 and 21-12 on Sunday at the ASC Softball Field.
In Game 2, where the Grizzlies just scored enough runs in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the game alive, both teams combined for 33 runs, 37 hits, and 31 RBI, all new record highs for the season for a single game in the RMAC.
The 33-run affair lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes because the high winds and dust storms forced the defensive teams to turn and wait for the gusts to pass.
The Rangers (19-14, 13-9 RMAC) opened up the game with by scoring two runs in before Stephanie Dunham brought pinch runner Erin Myers around to score.
The 1-run deficit did not last long, however, as the Rangers used eight hits and two errors for an 8-run outburst to make the score 10-1.
With the run-rule in effect, the Grizzlies scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman Tayler Else hit an inside-the-park-homer, her fourth homer of the season, only for the Rangers to score four runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend the lead to 14-3.
Adams State did not give up just yet as they used timely hits to score seven runs. The first run came after Kristen Payne hit a triple down the left field line to score Jennie Archambault from first place. Jaycee Lovato then brought her around as she singled up the middle. After Dunham and DJ Consonero walked to load the bases, pinch runner Melinda Velasquez and the other runners advanced on a wild pitch before Else cleared the bases with a double to right field. Katelyn Lovato then kept the inning going with a triple to left field. The triple was Lovato’s seventh of the season and the ninth of her career, a new ASC record for triples in a career. She then scored on a Rebecca Lindquist single to make the score 14-10.
The Rangers put the run-rule back into effect as they used walks to their advantage and loaded the bases before Nickki Haberkorn blasted a grand slam to center field to make the score 18-10.
Payne lead off the bottom half of the sixth inning with a solo homer to take away the run-rule before Katelyn Lovato got an RBI when she was able to get Dunhamn across the plate.
The Rangers finally capped off the scoring in the top of the seventh inning as they scored three runs on five hits.
Regis opened up a 4-0 lead in the first game in the first three innings. The Grizzlies finally got on board in the fifth inning when Cononero hit her first triple down the left field line before Gallego got pinch runner Myer in. Katelyn Lovato and Carly DeLorenzo then opened singled to load the bases for Lindquist who singled in two runs.
Regis countered with three runs of their own runs in the top of sixth inning before Lizzy Schossow blasted her third homer of the season to cap off the scoring.
Senior Sarah Lindquist was charged with her sixth loss of the season as she gave up seven runs, four of which were earned, on 12 hits and one walk while striking out five batters.
Senior Rachel Lovato got the loss in the second game as she gave up 10 runs, only five of which were earned, on eight hits and four walks with three strikeouts in three innings pitched.
Senior Marissa Elsberry pitched four innings of relief ball allowing 11 runs, nine of which were earned, on eleven hits and three walks while striking out two batters.
With the game tied at six in the bottom of the seventh inning freshman Carly DeLorenzo singled to left field. On the 0-1 pitch DeLorenzo took off from first base down to second as she attempted to steal second. The throw down was bobbled and went into center field allowing DeLorenzo to make it to third, however, a few seconds after the play had ended the umpired called it a no-pitch and ruled that DeLorenzo left early, thus awarding the first baseman with a put out, all this to the dismay and shock of the Grizzlies and fans in attendance. The Grizzlies (19-14, 13-9 RMAC), who led 3-0 after the first inning, could not score despite getting another hit from junior Rebecca Lindquist before the Rangers (17-14, 11-9 RMAC) tacked on four runs on four hits including a 3-run double to give Regis a 10-6 win.
Lindquist got the first 2 RBI of the game when she hit a double to right field to score sophomore Katelyn Lovato and DeLorenzo. She scored three batters later when junior Lizzy Schossow hit a double to left center.
Despite giving up single runs in the top of the second and fourth innings, starting pitcher Rachel Lovato had strong pitching as she nabbed five strike outs to keep the Grizzlies in the game.
The Grizzlies then scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman Stephanie Dunham hit her first triple of the season to score Tayler Else from third and sophomore DJ Consonero from first base.
Regis struck for three runs in the top of the fifth inning before Adams State nabbed one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Archambault hit into fielder’s choice to score DeLorenzo from third, after she stole both second and third base.
The Rangers tied the game at six in the seventh.
The Grizzlies started the day off quickly in Game 1 as Lovato and DeLorenzo each hit triples followed by a Payne single.
Adams State was then held off the score board as the Rangers attacked starting pitcher Sarah Linquist for 11 runs, eight of which were earned.
Lindquist, who is now 14-5 on the season, gave up 14 hits and one walk while striking out three batters.
Rachel Lovato, who got the loss in Game 2 to fall to 2-4, gave up nine earned runs while striking out five runs and walking five with 14 scattered hits.
The Grizzlies will be on the road this next week as they travel to Greeley to take on the Division I University of Northern Colorado Bears, the college that Jaycee Lovato attended before transfered to Adams State.
They will then travel to Kearney, Neb. to participate in the RMAC Pod weekend as they will take on Metro State on Sunday and the host Lopers on Saturday.
Thursday and Saturday’s doubleheaders will be broadcast live on KSPK-FM (104.1 FM in Alamosa) and online at www.kspk.com.
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