GOLDEN, Colo. – After winning a marathon game two Sunday to split the opening day of the series, the Colorado School of Mines softball team looked to build on that momentum Monday afternoon at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field for the final two games of their series against RMAC leader Colorado Christian. Unfortunately for the Orediggers (7-23, 6-13) that was not to be the case Monday as a early game one deficit was too much to overcome while a low-scoring affair saw them come out on the short end as the Cougars (22-8, 18-2) took the series behind wins of 13-2 in five innings and 3-1.
 
After spinning over 160 pitches in the 11-inning winner Sunday, Kat Miller (3-8) was back in the circle for game one Monday and after needing just three pitches to get the first out of the game, things escalated quickly. A fielding error by Miller of the bat of Lauren Garcia was followed by three straight singles as two runs scored to make it 2-0 Cougars. A sacrifice fly by Mia Stankiewicz scored the third run of the frame before four more singles resulted in three more runs before a lineout ended the inning.
 
Ellen Shull took over in the second in relief and gave up an unearned run as Leah Garcia singled and moved to third on an error in right field before scoring on a Rachel Williams groundout. In the home half of the inning, Cassidy Chvatal led the inning off with a towering solo home run to straightaway centerfield against the extreme winds roaring out of the base of Clear Creek Canyon to get Mines on the board and make it 7-1.
 
CCU got the run back with a one-out RBI single in the third before adding three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. The Orediggers did manage a second run in their half of the fourth inning when Hannah Roberts singled up the middle to score pinch runner Kiyana Tsuei after she entered the game after Chvatal drew a leadoff walk. A flurry of changes for both teams ensued over the final inning as Colorado Christian's Hannah Espinoza closed out the game in relief to cap the 13-2 contest.
 
Two scoreless innings opened the series finale as Emma Duncan and Taylor Wayne (3-7) proved tough for the opposition to sort out the first time through the lineup. CCU broke through in the third, scoring on a single and a sac fly and aided by an outfield error to jump in front 2-0.
 
After a scoreless fourth, the Cougars added another run in the fifth when Dane Lopez singled home Elyse McMullin after she reached on a hit by pitch to begin the frame. The first run for the Orediggers came from none other than Cassidy Chvatal once more, as she turned on a 2-1 offering and sent it over the wall in left field for her second home run of the day leading off an inning.
 
A rejuvenated Wayne worked around two singles in the sixth to throw a zero on the board before Mines had a chance to at least level the score in the bottom of the inning. Emiaj Self and Kendall Aragon both singled with one out, setting the table for the power duo of Lexie Semeyn and Chvatal. The potential failed to materialize though, as Duncan recorded a strikeout before ceding the circle to Espinoza who did so as well to keep Mines off the board and maintain the two-run lead.
 
In need of two to tie and three to win following a scoreless top of the seventh, a rally akin to Sunday was not to be as the Orediggers went down in order to end the game with a 3-1 final.
 
NOTABLES
-Chvatal's solo shot in each game gave her three home runs for the series and 10 on the season, making her the first Oredigger since Clara Larson in 2021 to hit double figure homers in a season and is now tied for sixth all-time in single-season big flies while her 20 career home runs are tied for eighth all-time
-Wayne was a tough-luck loser in the series finale, scattering nine hits and allowing just two earned runs
-Roberts hit safely in both games, driving in a run in the opener and recording a double in game two to finish the series 4-7 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored in her return to action
-Aragon also hit safely in each game, running her hitting streak to nine games and finishing the series 5-13 and taking over the team lead in batting at .333
-Kat Bauer made her home debut, pinch hitting in the fifth inning of game one
-Brooke Gonzales made her first appearance in the field, playing an inning at third base in game one
 
UP NEXT
The road awaits the Orediggers the next two weekends as they'll start their next trip close to home at Regis next Saturday and Sunday.
 
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.