GOLDEN, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines softball team got a strong pitching performance from Kelly Unkrich winning 9-0 in six innings and 5-4 in eight innings over Chadron State on Saturday afternoon in RMAC action at the CSM Softball Field.
Unkrich was dominate as she did not surrender a hit until the fifth inning in game one as she picked up her first shutout of the season in six innings of work with four strikeouts and no walks.
Mines scored on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Cassie Ford in the first. The Orediggers added two more runs in the second this time it was Kamee Vessey who hit a two-RBI triple.
The Orediggers scored a single run in the fifth on Ford's RBI double and closed it out with a five-run sixth inning. In the sixth, Springer doubled scoring one run while Sarah Lustgraaf drove in another run with a single. A dropped fly ball tacked on another run and Ford finished it off with a single scoring two runs to end the game.
Ford went 2-for-4 with four RBI, Vessey was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI while Lustgraaf went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Mines jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning behind a two-RBI triple from Springer and an RBI single off the bat of Vessey. The Orediggers added another run in the as Molly Thiebaut singled through the left side to score a run.
Heading into the sixth inning Chadron State had just three hits but opened the inning with back-to-back doubles. The Eagles pulled within one run at 4-3 when Amy Schwartz hit a two-RBI single down the right field line. CSC tied the game in the next at bat with another RBI single.
Unkrich enterted to pitch in the sixth with no outs and helped the Orediggers escape with the game tied. Mines had a runner on second in the bottom half of the inning but failed to bring her around to score.
In the seventh, Unkrich struck out back-to-back batters and got the ground out to end the inning with a runner on second giving Mines the opportunity to win it in the seventh.
Springer drew a lead off walk and Veseey put down a bunt for a hit advancing to second on the error. The Eagles intentionally walked Lustgraaf loading the bases with no outs. Thiebaut grounded out but Mines still had the bases loaded with one out.
Ford laid down a bunt but Vessey was unable to beat the throw to home plate and the next batter grounded out sending it to extra innings.
Unkrich again got two strikeouts and a ground out in the eighth once again setting it up Mines in the eighth inning.
This time the Orediggers came up big with two outs. Macy Jones singled and Springer doubled on a 3-2 count giving Mines the win.
Unkrich picked up her second win of the day this time in relief going three innings with just two hits and five strikeouts.
Springer was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI, two doubles and a triple. Vessey was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Paige Coufal went 2-for-3 with a run scored in game two.
The Orediggers (6-15, 3-7 RMAC) will play a doubleheader tomorrow, Sunday, March 11 against Chadron State beginning at 11:00 am.
