Colorado Christian Softball showed grit and resilience Saturday, rebounding after a 6-0 loss to CSU Pueblo to win game two, 6-5 at Lakewood Park. The Cougars used timely hits and gutsy calls in the late contest to secure the win – their 14^th of the season.
 
Colorado State Pueblo dominated the opener, shutting out the CCU squad with a tough pitching performance from CSUP pitcher Kelli Henry. Henry struck out seven Christian batters, and allowed just two hits from the home team in her sixth win of the year. Colorado Christian pitchers Mariah Bledsoe (3-6) and Katie Edison, conversely, could not stop the Thunderwolves from the plate – the Pueblo squad tallied three earned runs on ten hits despite 5 Ks from Bledsoe.
 
After a three-RBI double in the third inning got CSUP on the board, the visitors notched a run in each of the next three innings. Their sixth and final run came off a solo homerun past the center field fence in inning six.
 
Sorely lacking in momentum heading into the second game, the Cougars needed a little magic. Unfortunately, the Thunderwolves jumped on top with one-RBI singles in the first and third innings. Christian got their first run of the day in the fifth, when Stephanie Tatham got a bases-loaded RBI after getting hit by a CSUP pitch.
 
Senior Michaela Barr changed the complexion of the game one batter later, drilling a deep double down the right field line to score three CCU runners. For the first time on Saturday, the Cougars had the momentum – and the lead (4-2).
 
"My teammates had worked hard to load up the bases," explained Barr at the end of the day, "I knew I needed to work hard to get them in. It was a team effort, and the culmination of everyone doing their jobs. I definitely feel that hitting is contagious and I just wanted to keep the ball rolling so that the girl behind me had a chance, too."
 
Still, though the Christian burst had the home team energized, Pueblo would not be silenced. Battling to stay alive, the Thunderwolves found their answer in the sixth with a two-run shot to left field. The score tied at fours, CCU fired right back in their half of the frame, scoring their fifth run with a bold Dana Rex dash for home on a Kristina Billante base hit. Jessica Romine took advantage of a CSUP wild pitch on the next at-bat to plate Colorado Christian's sixth and final run.
 
The Thunderwolves would score another on a seventh-inning homer, but their frantic push would end there, as freshman pitcher Tana Feiner struck out one and forced out two more Pueblo batters to draw the curtain on the game.
 
Feiner picked up the win – her tenth of the season – after fanning nine CSUP hitters and walking just one. The Cougars survived despite two fielding errors.
 
Jessica Romine, Kristina Billante, and Stephanie Tatham each notched two hits in the win, with Romine tallying two runs and Billante and Tatham combining for two RBI.
 
With the home stretch in their sights, Saturday's win against a tough RMAC opponent marked an important step toward high post-season hopes. The Cougars will collide with Pueblo again on Sunday – the final two games in the series are set to begin at 11am.
 
"I know how important records are for getting into the tournament," continued Barr. "We're getting amped up for tomorrow to make another win happen."