Chadron State College softball finished out the weekend with a pair of 3-0 losses at Metropolitan State University of Denver on Sunday.
The Eagles fall to 11-24 (9-16 RMAC) with the loss, while the Roadrunners improve to 23-19 (18-10 RMAC).
“For the most part, the defense played well,” said Head Softball Coach Kaley Scearcy. “We couldn’t push any runs across with the hits we were getting. Inconsistency is definitely our biggest challenge right now, and that’s something we’re trying to work through. Our pitchers gave us opportunities to win. Metro’s a good team. We aren’t satisfied with this weekend, but there’s some really good things that happened. Hopefully we can build off the positives, work through some of the negatives, and show up stronger against Colorado Mines.”
Despite getting five strikeouts and holding MSU Denver to three hits and no walks in six innings, CSC’s number one pitcher Jessica Jarecki fell to 7-11 on the season after CSC was held to only two hits, two walks, and one hit batter.
The Roadrunners scored an earned run in the first inning, and tacked on two unearned in the fifth.
In the latter game, MSUD scratched out seven hits with four walks, scoring runs in the first, third, and fourth. The Eagles managed six hits, but hit into one double play and left the other runners stranded, as the home team withstood another six and one-half innings to complete the sweep.
Leilani Niccum led the Eagles in the starting lineup batting 4-for-11 in the series. Jessica Kleine pinch hit twice over the weekend, batting in the team’s only run with a double. That was CSC’s only multiple-base hit in four games. Ellie Owens was 3-for-9 with three walks and score the team’s only run.
Chadron State next plays Colorado School of Mines at home, and has scheduled doubleheaders at noon on Saturday, April 14, and 11 a.m. on Sunday the 15th. Last season the Eagles went 1-3 in Golden, Colorado.
Saturday
Chadron State College softball lost a pair of close Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games Saturday at Regency Athletic Complex in downtown Denver, as the homestanding Metropolitan State University of Denver team took wins of 1-0 and 3-1, allowing one earned run on eight hits over 14 innings.
In the noon game, the two teams were knotted in a scoreless tie through four innings, before MSUD’s Serena Espinoza hit a solo homer in the fifth for the game’s only run.
Despite the loss, CSC pitcher Jessica Jarecki struck out eight and walked none in six innings in the circle. She allowed only four other hits besides the winning home run. Darby McGhee picked up the win for the home team.
In the afternoon, the Eagles again remained competitive until late in the second game, recovering from an 0-1 deficit in the sixth. CSC strung together a single, a walk, and an RBI double by Jessica Kleine which scored Ellie Owens to tie the game at one apiece.
However, once again the Eagles were undone by a clutch MSUD homer, as Annika Anderson hit a two-run shot with two out in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-1 walkoff.
Losing pitcher Megan Horn allowed six total hits in six and two-thirds innings. CSC was held to three hits by winning pitcher Kylee Burnside.
Chadron State fell to 11-22 (9-14 RMAC), while MSU Denver improved to 21-19 (16-10 RMAC).
The foes meet again at noon Sunday.