LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Back at All Star Park Monday for the second day of their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series of the season against Chadron State, the Colorado School of Mines had their eyes on a series win after sweeping both ends of Sunday's doubleheader. Unfortunately for the Orediggers (5-5, 2-2), that goal was not meant to be as the Eagles (2-12, 2-2) used the long ball to their advantage, blasting a pair of home runs in each game to force a split of the series by scores of 6-4 and 3-2 in 10 innings.
 
Sadriena Rodriguez (3-2) got the starting nod in the circle in game one and had to work around some baserunners in the first two innings to post zeroes on the scoreboard, finally issuing her first walk of the season in the second inning. Unfortunately for the fifth-year lefthander, she was unable to dodge trouble in the third. A one-out walk and a single set the table for the Eagles. A long single into the left field corner scored the first run of the game and following a flyout to center, Mackenzie Kroll belted a three-run home run to centerfield to chase Rodriguez from the game early. Allison Westbrook came on in relief and was rudely welcomed to the game as her second pitch left the yard down the left field line to make it 5-0.
 
Mines did manage an answer in the bottom of the inning, as Kailey Morales worked a one-out walk before advancing to second on a muffed catch on a fielder's choice off the bat of Cassidy Chvatal. Kendall Aragon singled to shortstop to load the bases and after a flyout, Lexie Semeyn delivered a two-out single to center to score Morales before two more scored another single back through the box by Trystin Oshiro-Sano to make it 5-3.
 
CSC did get a run back in the fourth as a pair of singles with two outs and two walks loaded the bases and forced home a run as it returned to a three-run game at 6-3. The Orediggers matched the Eagles in the bottom of the inning as after Kayleigh Krueger reached on a leadoff fielding error at third before coming around to score on a single to left by Aragon.
 
Both sides left runners on base over the next two innings as both pitching staffs held their ground in a two-run game. Heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Orediggers did manage to get load the bases and give themselves a chance to rally with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, but a flyout to center ended things as the Eagles picked up their first win of the season 6-4.
 
Game two saw Chadron State jump out to an early lead again, scoring on a single through the left side as one of three hits in the first inning. It took two innings for Mines to give start Cassidy Chvatal some back up as she worked scoreless frames in the second and third before the offense evened things in the third. Kayleigh Krueger got on with a leadoff single to right before coming around to score after Kendall Aragon worked a bases loaded walk to make it 1-1.
 
Scoreless fourth and fifth innings by Chvatal in the circle were followed by a Mines run in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. Kellan Ton got on with an infield single to second and was joined on base in short order by Sidney Wilson before Aragon drove in her second run of the day on a single up the middle to give the Orediggers their first lead of the day at 2-1.
 
That lead however turned out to be short-lived as a leadoff home run tied things back up and brought a call to the bullpen as Sadriena Rodriguez returned looking for better luck in her second appearance of the day. A walk to the first batter she faced was erased on a stolen base attempt by Lexie Semeyn before a 1-4-3 groundout and a popup ended the inning. Mines had a chance to retake the lead in the home half once again in the bottom of the sixth. Sara Larson doubled into the left field corner after a diving try by the left fielder came up short. Krueger worked a walk and the pair advanced into scoring position on a groundout before Chvatal drew a walk to load the bases. Kellan Ton had a chance to be involved in a potential game-winning play for the second day in a row, as she lined a ball the other way up the line at third, but the Chadron defense was hugging the line and able to escape danger with a diving catch to end the inning.
 
Rodriguez worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to give the Orediggers a chance again in their half as Aragon reached on a single and got to third on a fielding error on a single by Oshiro-Sano, setting the table for Larson, but again the Chadron defense was right place, right time as a ground ball up the first base line was hauled in as the Eagles danced out of trouble to force extras.
Following a clean eighth inning, both sides got the go-ahead run on their halves of the ninth but came away with nothing to show for it. In the 10th, Rodriguez was able to get the leadoff batter out, but couldn't avoid the damage the came next as Jessie Hencheski belted a home run to center, the fourth of the day for CSC, to go back in front. Rodriguez managed to rebound and get the next batter out before hitting the final batter she faced. Kat Miller entered to record the final out as Mines looked for some more late inning magic in the bottom of the frame. After a groundout and a flyout, Hannah Roberts reached on an error and represented the tying run, being lifted for pinch runner Sam Whisenand while freshman Kiki Matamoros dug in at the dish in a pinch hit appearance but went down swinging to end the game as the Eagles completed the Monday sweep 3-2.
                                       
NOTABLES
-Aragon led the way at the plate in both games, going 2-4 in the opener with an RBI and a run scored while going 2-3 with two RBI and two walk in game two
-Oshiro-Sano went 2-3 with two RBI and a walk in game one and added a hit in game two
-Larson doubled in game two for her second extra-base hit of the season
-Krueger scored a run in both games while logging a hit and a walk in game two
-Chvatal scored a run in game one while going 1-3 with a walk in the second leg while working five-plus innings in the circle, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts as she took a no-decision
-Rodriguez rebounded from a shaky game one outing to worked 4.2 innings of relief in game two, allowing a run on two hits with two strikeouts
-Miller appeared in relief in each game, worked 3.1 scoreless innings in game one allowing just two hits before retiring the only batter she faced in game two
 
UP NEXT
Mines hits the road again next weekend as they continue RMAC action in Grand Junction against Colorado Mesa.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on X at @MinesSoftball and on Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @minesathletics.