CHADRON, Neb. – Back on the road to begin spring break and starting their weekend slate a day later than originally scheduled, the Colorado School of Mines softball team continued Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Sunday afternoon against Chadron State, splitting the first two games of their four-game series at the CSC Softball Field, winning the opener 4-2 before falling in game two 4-0.
 
The Orediggers (9-15, 8-10) got a strong pitching performance from Sadriena Rodriguez and a clutch RBI base hit by Sophie Furniss that resulted in a four-run third inning that proved to be the deciding factor in the game, while the Eagles (8-17, 6-12) were able to score single runs in the third and fourth before scoring a pair late in the sixth to earn the split.
 
Neither side was able to get on the board in the first, but both had big opportunities to do so in the second inning. Kayleigh Krueger led the frame off with a walk and was joined on base in short order by Furniss and Renata Boyd by way of another walk and a bunt single to load the bases, but CSC was able to tightrope out of danger with a fielder's choice force out at home followed by a strikeout and a groundout.
 
In the home half, Chadron State got a lead off single but after two quick pop outs to the left side of the infield, the inning look to be all but lost until a pair of walks loaded the bases, but Rodriguez (4-2) was able to work out of trouble with a flyout to right to keep it scoreless.
 
Mines broke through in a big way in the third, as Kendall Aragon got things started with a leadoff walk. A sac bunt by Aubree Karraker advanced the freshman Aragon before Sidney Wilson reached on an E6 to put runners at the corners for Krueger, who worked her second walk of the game to load the bases for Furniss. The freshman, making just her second start of the season, delivered with a single through the left side to score Aragon before a misplay by the Chadron State left fielder allowed both Wilson and Krueger to score as well and make it 3-0. After a groundout to third for the second out of the inning, Furniss scored the fourth run of the inning on an RBI single by Sara Larson.
 
Rodriguez responded with a scoreless bottom of the third before CSC was able to get a run back in the fourth, turning a one-out walk into a run with a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-1 game.
 
A scoreless fifth was followed by the Eagles drawing a run closer in the sixth, scoring a run with two outs on a bloop single to right center as they looked to mount a two-out rally, but a strikeout by Rodriguez ended the inning and stranded a pair on base to send the action to the seventh in a two-run game.
 
After Mines went down in order in the seventh, CSC once again looked to rally in the seventh, leading off the inning with a bunt single, but the veteran left-hander Rodriguez was able to navigate around it and slam the door, ending the game with a strikeout to get the Orediggers back in the win column with a 4-2 victory in the opener.
 
As the afternoon resumed play with the start of game two, Mines and Chadron State both had traffic on the bases over the first three innings, but it was the Eagles who were able to get on the board first in the home third, as a bases-loaded walk forced home the first run of the game. Cassidy Chvatal (1-7) was able to limit the damage in the inning and strand the bases loaded however, getting a groundout to Kayleigh Krueger to end the inning.
 
CSC doubled their lead in the next half inning with a one-out solo home run to left field to make it a 2-0 game. The Orediggers looked to answer in the fifth, as Lauren Decker worked a four-pitch leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kailey Morales, but a pair of stellar defensive plays by the Eagles dashed the scoring opportunity and kept it a 2-0 game.
 
Taylor Wayne took over in the circle in the fifth and worked a 1-2-3 inning before Sidney Wilson led off the sixth with a single off the leg of the pitcher Delaney Farnsworth, but once again, Mines was held off the board as they struggled to solve the freshman right-hander in the circle.
 
Chadron was able to tack on some late insurance runs in the sixth, scoring a pair to make it 4-0 as the Orediggers couldn't manage a seventh-inning rally, falling 4-0.
 
NOTABLES
-Rodriguez allowed two runs, neither of which was earned, on seven hits while striking out six
-Larson led the way at the plate in game one with a 2-3 showing and an RBI
-Furniss singled, drove in a run, scored and walked twice to reach base in all three plate appearances
-Aragon finished 1-3 in the opener
-Chvatal worked four innings in the start, allowing two runs on three hits with one strikeout
-Wayne worked the final two innings in the circle, allowing two runs of which only one was earned, on three hits
-Wilson had two of Mines' three hits in game two
-Boyd went 1-3 in each game of the doubleheader and has now hit safely in seven of the last eight games

LOOKING AHEAD
The Orediggers will wrap up their series with Chadron State on Monday with two more games starting at 11 a.m. before taking on Fort Hays in the final non-conference games of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on Twitter at @MinesSoftball and Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.