LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Stacy Haney had a grand slam and eight RBIs to lead the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to a 17-3 victory in the nightcap and a doubleheader split with the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls Saturday at Brandt Field.
Dominique Gonzalez (3-3) threw a gutsy, 144-pitch complete game to give the Cowgirls a 6-4 win in the opener.
Sierra Green, Rachel Hancock, Brianna Workman and Haney, who bat in spots nine through three respectively, went a combined 8-for-10 with five walks, 13 runs scored and 10 RBIs.
Haney also stole two bases in Game 2, giving her a team-best 13 for the season. Hancock had a combined five RBIs in the two games.
Sarah Cleland had three RBIs for the Mountain Lions (8-5, 1-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) on a single and two sacrifice flies.
One of those sacrifices started the scoring for UCCS in the top of the first. Amanda Hathaway followed with a two-run double before fellow freshman Lindsay Zastrow brought home the fourth run with an RBI groundout.
The Mountain Lions followed with three runs in the second and four in the third before Haney’s blast capped a six-run fourth. The game ended after five innings because of the NCAA’s run rule.
Stacy Ortiz (3-2) scattered 10 hits to earn the win. Karlee Trione (0-6) took the loss for Highlands (4-11, 1-1 RMAC).
In the opener, Gonzalez allowed 10 hits and two walks while allowing four runs, all earned. Offensively, Pam Apodaca went 3-for-4 including a key leadoff triple in the pivotal sixth inning.
UCCS starter Holly Jordan struggled with her control, walking five in four innings of work. In the first and third innings, Jordan retired the first two hitters only to allow run-scoring rallies in each inning Those, sandwiched around Apodaca’s RBI single in the second, gave Highlands a 3-1 lead going into the top of the fifth.
UCCS, which had managed just two hits up to that point, rocked Gonzalez for five in the inning. Hancock’s bloop down the right field line ended up in no-man’s land between three defenders, scoring Lindsey Zastrow and Sierra Green. Brianna Workman followed with a bunt single, which scored Hancock when Workman forced a rundown between first and second.
UCCS reliever Sarah McCauley (3-2) threw a scoreless fifth but Apodaca’s leadoff triple and two Mountain Lion errors helped the Cowgirls score three to regain the lead.
The Mountain Lions loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but pinch-hitter Cara Newlon’s hard grounder, which would have tied the game, was flagged down by shortstop Natasha Reyes, who was able to flip it over for a force out at third that ended the game.
--This story was sent to FOX 21 News as a general press release from the Athletic Departments of their respective institutions--
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