LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Looking to rebound from a disappointing day Saturday and close out their 2023 road campaign on a winning note, the Colorado School of Mines softball team was back in action at the Cowgirl Softball Field to close out the weekend against New Mexico Highlands, and close out the weekend they did, taking both ends of the doubleheader by scores of 8-0 in six innings in the opener and 6-3 in the series finale.
 
The Orediggers (24-23, 23-15) relied on big innings in both games and were led at the plate by Kayleigh Krueger and Trystin Oshiro-Sano and used those innings to back up strong performances in the circle by Sadriena Rodriguez in Taylor Wayne, controlling things from the start in game one while having to come from behind to overcome the Cowgirls (19-28, 15-24) in game two Saturday to earn a split of the series.
 
Mines started each of the first two innings with an extra-base hit, but each time came up empty on the scoreboard. Kendall Aragon tripled to lead off the ball game in the first, but was thrown out at home trying to score on a groundout to second by Hannah Roberts. Likewise in the second, Kayleigh Krueger laced a first-pitch double to left field and advanced to third with one out, but was tagged out at home after getting in a run down on a ground ball by Renata Boyd.
 
Rodriguez (13-2) started off the afternoon right where she left off Saturday, working around a pair of baserunners in the first two frames of the day to post a pair of zeros on the board before the offense got going to provide some run support.
 
Lauren Decker led off the third with a single to shallow right center right before Aubree Karraker doubled down the left field line for the Orediggers' third extra-base hit in as many innings to put runners at second and third as the lineup rolled over. A walk by Aragon loaded the bases as Highlands looked to get out of the inning and while they were able to get a force out at home on a grounder to second, Sidney Wilson stepped up and delivered a line single to left to score Karraker for the first run of the game. Krueger narrowly missed a grand slam as a fly ball off the top of the left field fence came back into play for a long two-run single to make it 3-0 before a Sara Larson sacrifice fly to center plated Wilson for the fourth run of the inning. After a single by Boyd, Trystin Oshiro-Sano kept the party going as she skied a double to right center that plated Krueger to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
Following a 1-2-3 inning by Rodriguez, Mines added another run in the fourth on another RBI single to left by Krueger to bring home Karraker after she led off the inning with her second double of the day, this time to right center as the lead moved to 6-0.
 
The Orediggers made it 7-0 in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Decker that saw Boyd score after reaching on a throwing error to lead off the game before Rodriguez worked a clean bottom of the inning. Some confusion arose after the final out in the fifth, as the score was mistakenly displayed as 8-0 and saw the officials leave the field of play before returning for the top of the sixth after the situation was sorted out.
 
Mines officially made it 8-0 with a 1-0 RBI single by Sara Larson to score pinch runner Paige Dompier who entered the game for Roberts after she resumed the action with the first of back-to-back singles in the inning. With the game now officially in run-rule territory, Rodriguez looked to do something that hadn't been done since the 2011 season and spin a no-hitter, but a one-out single to right by New Mexico Highlands dashed a chance at history. After a walk put runners at first and second, the senior was able to retire the final two batters of the game to secure the win in a bizarre opening game 8-0.
 
Game two saw the Cowgirls score first, plating two in their first at bats of the finale with an RBI groundout and a passed ball on a walk to make it 2-0 before a sacrifice fly in the second inning added another run to make it a 3-0 advantage.
 
Taylor Wayne (3-6) came on in relief of Allison Westbrook in the third inning and worked a scoreless frame before the offense broke through in the fourth to tie the game up. Sara Larson reached base and advanced to second on a one-out error at third base before Renata Boyd single to put runners at the corners for Grace Gonzales, who lined a single the other way to right field to get Mines on the board and keep runners at the corners. A well-placed squeeze bunt up the third base line by Lauren Decker allowed Boyd to beat the flip home from a charging defender to make it 3-2. After a flyout and a walk to Kendall Aragon loaded the bases, Hannah Roberts collected an RBI the hard way as she was hit by a pitch with two outs to force home pinch runner Lexie Semeyn and draw the Orediggers back even.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, Mines hung up another crooked number, scoring three more runs to take their first lead of the game. Decker led the inning off with a single but was forced out at second on a ball off the bat of Aubree Karraker. Aragon singled to put two runners on as Mines went to the bench for pinch-hitter Trystin Oshiro-Sano, who delivered with a line single to left to score Karraker as the go-ahead run. After a flyout to centerfield, Kayleigh Krueger delivered yet again, doubling to left field to score Aragon and put runners at second and third for Sara Larson, who cashed in with an infield single to score pinch runner Paige Dompier to make it 6-3.
 
With a lead in hand, Wayne continued to navigate through the NMHU lineup with relative ease, getting a strikeout and a lineout double play to post a scoreless sixth before working around a one-out walk in the seventh to get a game-ending tailor-made 4-6-3 double play to close out the win and earn the Sunday sweep.
 
NOTABLES
-Rodriguez picked up the win in the circle this season for the 13th time this season and carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning before a one-out single broke it up; she finished the day with four strikeouts in six innings against five walks and needed just 88 pitches for the complete game effort
-Six different Orediggers had two-hit outings in game one, led by Krueger who went 3-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored
-Krueger also went 2-4 with a double and an RBI in game two and now has 35 RBI on the season and 90 in her Mines career
-Roberts and Wilson each went 2-4 with a run scored while the latter also drove in a run
-Boyd finished the opener 2-3 with a run scored while in game two became the newest member of the 150-hit club for her career as she posted a 2-4 day with a run scored
-Decker also went 2-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases in the opener while going 1-3 with a walk and another steal to move with one steal of Brinley Benson's single-season mark of 24 from 2011
-Decker now has 48 stolen bases in her career to take over sole-possession of third all-time, trailing only Boyd and Brielle Asato (2015-18) who each have 50+ steals
-Oshiro-Sano went 2-3 on the day with a double and two RBI, driving in a run in each game including the game-winner in game two
-Larson went 1-3 in each game and finished the day with three RBI and a run scored to her credit
-Karraker went 2-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI in game one and now has eight doubles on the season, third-most on the club and went 1-4 with a run in the finale
-Gonzales went 1-4 and drove in her eighth run of the season
-Wayne recorded her 50th career strikeout in the sixth inning of game two as part of her five innings of shutout relief in which she allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out three; she also cleared her previous single-season strikeout mark of 24 from her freshman campaign
-Mines tied their highest hit total of the season with 16 in game one Sunday, doing so once before this season in the home opener against Black Hills State on February 19
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Just one weekend remains in the 2023 regular season as Mines will return to Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field April 28-29 as they'll play host to Colorado Mesa.
 
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.