MANSFIELD, Texas – The Colorado School of Mines softball team returned to action at the Top Gun Lone Star DII College Classic Saturday with a single game against Emporia State. Braving frigid conditions at The Fields at Station 63, the Orediggers (1-2) fell behind early and never managed to recover as the Hornets (3-0) scored six in the first and never looked back on their way to a 10-1 run-rule result in five innings.
Emporia State scored first and scored big in the opening half inning, plating six runs on four hits while taking advantage of defensive miscues by Mines. Maci Hayes singled home Sydney Wager to open the festivities before Karli Wehunt hit a two-run homer to left that made it 3-0. A single, walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Elina Bartlett, who worked a bases-loaded walk against starter
Kat Miller (1-1) to force home a run before two more runs before two runs score on an error to shortstop that made it 6-0.
Miller recovered and worked a 1-2-3 second, but ESU tacked on another run in the third when Leslie Ramos scored on a single from Juliana DeLuna that made it a seven-run game. Taryn Burkhardt crossed home in the fourth against reliever
Madyson Ortiz as the Hornets increased the lead to eight. Mines managed to punch back in the home half the inning, as
Emiaj Self led off the inning with a walk before scoring on two-out double to left center by
Grace Weiler.
ESU got that run right back in the top of the with on a solo home run from Brynley Smith that brought about a second Mines pitching change.
Ellen Shull took over in the circle and got out of the inning, but not before another run scored on a single from Burkhardt that made it 10-1. With the top of the order due in the home half, Mines needed a run to extend the game and though a two-out single from
Kendall Aragon provided some life, a groundout to the circle ended things as Emporia State claimed the run-rule win in five innings.
NOTABLES
-Weiler, seeing her first action since March 2 of last season, announced her return to action with an RBI double
-Self scored the lone run of the day for Mines
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Lindy French and
Brooke Gonzales both singled in the game
-Aragon went 2-3 with two singles
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Madyson Ortiz made her debut in the game, coming on in relief and working an inning and allowing one earned run on three hits.
ON DECK
The Orediggers wrap up their weekend in Texas with an early start for two more games against MSU Moorhead at 9 a.m. CT followed by their finale against UT Dallas at 1:30 p.m. CT.
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.
