DENVER, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines softball team extended its winning streak to eight games taking both games on Saturday against Metro State at Auraria Field. Strong pitching and early runs led to a 4-1 victory in game one. In game two, Mines put together a sixth-inning rally trailing by four runs and finished off the game in the eighth, 9-5.
The Orediggers jumed on the Roadrunners early scoring a pair of runs in both the first and second innings in game one. In the first inning it was a two-run home run by Sami Springer, her fourth of the season. An infield single from Allysia Cisneros and a throwing error by Metro State gave Mines a 4-0 lead after two innings.
That was all the Orediggers would need as Metro State managed just one run that came in the fourth inning. The Roadrunners had just five hits in the game. Mines' Kelly Unkrich allowed just one extra-base hit as she struck out six to earn the win in the circle.
Kamee Vessey was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Cisneros went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Springer was 1-for-3 with a run scored, a stolen base and two RBI in the game.
A two-run double in game two gave the Roadrunners an early lead but Mines cut that in half when Cassie Ford doubled in the fourth to make it 2-1.
Metro State extended its lead scoring three more times in the fourth on a three-run home run. Cisneros enterted to pitch for the first time in her career with two outs and got the final Roadrunner batter to pop out to end the inning.
Mines had a pair of runners on in the fifth but failed to score and Cisneros handled the fifth inning as well giving the Orediggers a chance to get back into the game.
In the top of the sixth, Paige Coufal led off with a double and Cisneros singled. Cisneros stole second and Macy Jones drew a walk to load the bases. Vessey started off the scoring by drawing a bases loaded walk. Mines then scored its next three runs all with two outs. Sarah Lustgraaf smacked a two-run double while Molly Thiebaut singled to right field to tie the game.
The Roadrunners got a one out double but failed to score in the sixth. Mines was unable to take the lead in the seventh and Unkrich entered the game to pitch in the bottom half of the inning looking to send it to extra innings. Unkrich got two quick outs before surrendering a single but got a ground out to end the inning.
Vessey took matters into her own hands to start the eighth with a solo shot, her 12th of the season, to give Mines the lead but the scoring did not end there. Thiebaut singled to score another run and Unkrich, who had just two at bats in her entire career, hit a two RBI double to give the Orediggers a 9-5 lead.
In bottom of the eighth, Unkrich took care of the Roadrunners in just three at bats to pick up her second win of the day. Ashley Goletz started the game and pitched 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Cisneros was tough in relief in her debut as she went 2 1/3 innings. Unkrich closed out the game to improve to 10-10 on the year.
Thiebaut was 2-for-4 in the game with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base. Cisneros was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Vessey scored twice, drew a pair of walks and drove in two runs while Lustgraaf also had two RBI.
The Orediggers (17-18, 14-10 RMAC) will finish off their four-game series tomorrow, Sunday, April 1, with a doubleheader against Metro State beginning at 11:00 am.
