GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines softball team closed out a grueling three-week stretch against the top three teams in the RMAC Sunday afternoon at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field against league-leading #13 Colorado Christian. Kendall Aragon, Emiaj Self and Katie Bauer did their part at the plate while four pitchers led by Taylor Wayne led the battle against the Cougars' (30-2, 20-0) top-ranked offense, but wins were not to be as the Orediggers (11-19, 7-13) dropped both games by scores of 13-5 in six innings and 3-1.
 
Mines started off the day right with a run in the first as Lauren Romero turned a one-out single into a run thanks to a passed ball by Felesha LaPenske. Starter Ellen Shull worked a scoreless bottom of the first before CCU scored three to take the lead. Peyton Marvel's one-out double into the left field corner scored Leah Garcia to tie things at 1-1. After a single put runners on the corners, a double steal of second and home by Marvel and Paisley Williamson put the Cougars in front before a two-out Kat Hanson single off the glove of Romero made it 3-1.
 
The Orediggers stormed back with four runs in the third as Romero got the rally started with a one-out single. Back-to-back singles by Self and Bauer saw Romero wheel around and score as Bauer was lifted for pinch runner Sam Whisenand. After swiping second, Aragon doubled the other way to left center to score the pair and retake the lead 4-3. Aragon capped the scoring two batters later when she scored on a two-out double by Grace Weiler that made it 5-3 Mines. Kat Miller (2-3) came on in relief in the bottom of the inning and allowed a run to score as Arianna Wright's leadoff double was cashed in by Leah Garcia to make it 5-4. The big blows came in the home fourth as an RBI double by Elyse McMullin tied the game up before LaPenske hit a three-run home run to left center to retake the lead for good at 8-5.
 
Rylee Church took over in the fifth looking to keep the CCU offense in check and give Mines a chance to rally. The freshman walked the bases loaded with one out, but managed to get through the teeth of the Cougar offense with just one run scoring on a Wright sac fly that made it 9-5. Unfortunately for Mines, the reprieve was only momentary as Colorado Christian scored four in the bottom of the sixth as another sacrifice fly by Wright plated a run to bring the eight-run rule into effect with a 13-5 result.
 
Looking to avoid the sweep in the finale, Mines found themselves playing from behind early as Felesha LaPenske's one-out single scored Kat Hanson to put the Cougars on top early. Taylor Wayne (5-5) rebounded by going 1-2-3 in the second and stranding a two-out walk in the third to keep it a one-run game. Doubles by Emiaj Self and Kendall Aragon in the top of the fourth tied things back up, but just as quickly CCU retook the lead on a passed ball and a fielder's choice to lead by two at 3-1. Those two runs were all Elyse McMullin needed as she retired the Orediggers in order over the final three innings to close out the games and the series.
 
NOTABLES
-Aragon ran her hitting streak to five games as she went 3-6 on the afternoon with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored; her two-run double in the opener Sunday saw her reach 100 runs batted in for her career while RBI double in game two saw her move north of the century mark
-Bauer and Self likewise went 3-6 on the day, with each going 2-3 in game one of the afternoon while each recording a double over the course of the action
-Self also extended her hitting streak to five games
-Weiler went 1-3 with a double and an RBI in the opener as she went 3-7 at the plate in two games in the series
-The 15 runs scored by the Orediggers in the series are the most allowed by Colorado Christian to an opponent all season
-At the conclusion of play Sunday, Mines is seventh in the RMAC standings, two games back of UCCS for sixth
 
ON DECK
Mines is back on the bottom line of the scoreboard next weekend as the home team when they host Regis March 27-28.
 
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.