GOLDEN, Colo. – Back at home once again Saturday, the Colorado School of Mines softball team took the field under clear skies and temperatures in the low 80s Saturday at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field for the first two games of their four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series with Adams State. The Orediggers (15-29, 14-19) swept both ends of the twin bill two different ways, posting a 10-2 run rule win in six innings in the game one before overcoming a two-run deficit in game two to knock off the Grizzlies (5-41, 3-31) 5-3 to close the afternoon.
 
Adams State had a golden opportunity go by the wayside in the first inning as they loaded the bases thanks to a pair of walks and a single, but Allison Westbrook (4-5) showed her veteran moxie as she worked out of a trouble with a grounder back to the circle to avert damage. Mines came back with a pair in their first at bats of the day as Kellan Ton singled and stole second before coming around on an error following an infield single by Emiaj Self. Self scored two batters later on a sharp single up the middle by Cassidy Chvatal to take a two-run lead.
 
After Westbrook worked around a pair of one-out singles in the second, the Orediggers erupted for five runs in the home half as Lauren Romero led things off with a line single to left. Kiyana Tsuei and Sam Whisenand followed with singles to turn the lineup over to Ton who grounded out to third to plate a run and make it 4-3. After another groundout, Kendall Aragon coaxed a walk to load the bases for Chvatal, who got a 2-0 green light and didn't miss as she went the other way to right center to the right of the scoreboard for a grand slam to break the game open at 7-0.
 
Following a scoreless fourth, ASU got on the board in the fifth as a pair of walks in the inning came across to score on a two-run double to left center to make it 7-2. Mines got a run back in the bottom of the inning when an Aragon sacrifice fly to left center scored Ton after she reached base with a one-out single.
 
Taylor Wayne took over in the circle in the fifth and after the two teams traded 1-2-3 innings, the Orediggers closed things out an inning early in the sixth. Whisenand led off with a single to turn the lineup over again before a pinch hit parade strode to the dish. Brooke Gonzales hit for Ton and singled up the middle before Kat Bauer, hitting for Self, worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases. After Ton and Self re-entered to run on the bases, Kate Whipple was next and last in line off the bench, as she worked a full count before lining a single through the right side on the eighth pitch of the at bat to plate two runs and walk it off with a 10-2 win.
 
Game two saw Adams State jump out early and take advantage of some shaky first inning command by Kat Miller (7-11), loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single before a run-scoring single and a sac fly to right field put them ahead 2-0. Mines got a run back in their home first as Kellan Ton singled up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on an error and subsequently scored on a groundout to shortstop by Kendall Aragon to make it 2-1.
 
In the third inning, Ton crossed home in nearly identical manner, singling through the left side before stealing second and taking third on the throwing error, but this time scored via wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. The Orediggers took the lead in the fourth, plating two runs as Lexie Semeyn led off the frame with a double to the wall in left before coming across moments later on a single back up the box by Kailey Morales. Morales, who took second on the throw, moved to third on a sac bunt by Lauren Romero before scoring on a groundout to second by Emily Rogers to make it 4-0.
 
After giving up two runs in the first, Miller settled in and once given the lead in the fourth, continued to cruise through the ASU lineup. The junior retired 11 straight batters starting the first inning before an error in the fourth with two outs, but that was rectified the next pitch with a lineout to Self at shortstop. The Grizzlies did manage to get back within a run in the fifth with a two-out double to right field and after leaving two in their half of the inning, Mines added an insurance run in the sixth thanks to Ton who singled the other way through the left side to plate Rogers and make it 5-3.
 
Miller wasted little time closing things out in the seventh, needing just 11 pitches to cap off the complete game effort and sweep the opening day of the series.
 
NOTABLES
-Ton turned in a dandy of an afternoon, finishing 5-7 with five runs scored, three stolen bases and two RBI
-Miller's fine season in the circle continued as she went the distance in game two, striking out six and allowing just three runs on four hits to earn her seventh win of the season
-Chvatal went yard again in game one, hitting her second career grand slam and finishing 2-2 with five RBI in the opener as she now stands in sole possession of fifth all-time in single season RBI, passing Sarah Van Lingen's 2009 mark of 55 and is now one back of Katie Kocman in fourth and two away from Van Lingen's 2008 season for third; her game one performance ran hit hitting streak to 11 game before ending in game two and over her last six game now has four home runs and 13 RBI
-Whisenand had a great afternoon in her first two starts of the season, hitting safely in both games as she went 2-3 with two runs scored in the opener before going 1-3 in game two
-Self went 3-7 with a run scored and has now hit safely in each of the last four games
-Westbrook collected her fourth win of the season in the opener, working four innings as she struck out three and worked around five hits and four walks to allow just two runs
-Semeyn and Aragon each had two hits in game two and combined for three doubles between them
-Morales went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored in game two as she has now driven in double digit runs in a season for the first time in her career
-Gonzales recorded her first career hit coming off the bench in game one
-Whipple collected her first career RBI at the collegiate level with the game one walk-off in the sixth inning
 
UP NEXT
Mines and Adams State close out the weekend Sunday with another doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
 
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.