They traveled nearly 250 miles to get a home game in, but Colorado Christian University Softball still managed to own the field they played on Saturday. Exploding for 22 combined runs in back-to-back games, the Cougars wrapped the day with a pair of 10-6 and 12-10 wins over Colorado School of Mines. The victories meant a sure lift for a CCU squad formerly frustrated with weather and losses, and offer momentum heading into Sunday's final games.
 
 Still, though Christian cruised to the sweep, the day wasn't without interest. Mines owned the lead for much of the opener, and then rallied late to neutralize a sturdy CCU advantage in game two. Playing with grit, the Cougars battled and then hung on to advance their league mark to 2-2 on the young season.
 
The Orediggers stormed out of the gates in game one, jumping out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a four-hit first inning that included three doubles against CCU pitcher Mariah Bledsoe. Though Colorado Christian didn't answer until the bottom of the third, the response was big. A monster Sarah Rasmussen 2-RBI homer sparked the Cougars in that inning, providing a glimpse of big things to come for the home team. Mines tacked another pair of runs on the board in the fourth, but their efforts from the plate wouldn't be enough to match the late-game fireworks the Christian squad would produce.
 
Thanks to seven hits in the sixth frame, CCU launched a potent attack that would have runners in blue and gold gobbling up bases. A pair of singles got things started for the Cougars, and made for certain excitement when Jessica Romine soon punished a CSM pitch down the right field line. The Romine hit – her first of the game – got the senior from Grand Junction all the way to third, and scored runners Gabriella Vengoechea and Dana Rex to pull Christian to within two.
 
The moment of the game, however, came soon after, when senior Sarah Rasmussen drilled another long ball over the fence. The bomb – a three RBI shot – gave the Cougars their first lead of the day and ignited a string of hits and RBIs that would assure the Christian win. CCU wrapped the inning with eight runs.
 
After turning in a little more than three innings of work, Bledsoe was relieved by freshman Tana Feiner. The Las Vegas, NV native picked up the win after tossing an impressive eight Ks in 3.1 innings. With Feiner as their anchor, CCU allowed just one earned run on five hits.
 
Kristina Billante and Vengoechea each tallied three hits in the early afternoon win, while Rasmussen closed out the contest with two runs and 5 RBI on two hits.
 
"I was extremely proud of us for refusing to give up in the first game," explained Rasmussen at the end of the day. "We fought until the last inning. It paid off big time, and gave us the confidence we have been looking for. It would have been easy to lay down for them in that game, but we found a way to stay in it. Although we still had some adjustments to make, we went into the second game with the confidence we needed and kept it consistent through the fifth inning."
 
Rolling and ripe with momentum, Colorado Christian had the hot bats early in the closing contest. Before four innings were done, the Cougars had built an impressive 10-0 lead, thanks in part to a homerun Stephanie Tatham. Just moments away from an early end to the game, however, CCU's defense faltered enough to allow Mines back in. The Orediggers used innings five and six to patiently chip away at the extensive Cougar lead, and soon the squads were headed to the bottom of the sixth deadlocked in a 10-10 tie.
 
Fortunately for Colorado Christian, senior Alexa Coffing had theatrics of her own in the works.
 
It took only one pitch for Coffing to find what she liked. Connecting right away, the right fielder drilled one over the left field fence with Dana Rex on base. The result was a 2-RBI lift – all the scoring the Cougars would need in that game.
 
Helping Tatham and Coffing boost the Christian offense was senior Jessica Romine, who went 3-for-5 in the win. Rex closed the show with a 2-for-3 showing that included three RBI and two runs.
 
"Our wins today were exactly what the doctor ordered! The team's morale was low after consecutive losses, but today we took back our confidence and played our hearts outs for 14 innings."
 
Though junior Katie Edison started in the circle for the Cougars, it was Feiner (3-3) who once again snuck a win from the Orediggers. Two strikeouts, two hits, and one earned run made up the line for the freshman, who relieved Edison early in the sixth.
 
"We know we need to remain focused, even when we are up 10-0," Rasmussen continued. "Things ended a little closer then we wanted, but Alexa came in clutch and Tana did a great job keeping us in the game."
 
The Cougars return to the field at Colorado Mesa Sunday, ready to claim the weekend for the blue and gold. They'll host Mines in the series finale, beginning at 11am.