Saturday was a good day for Colorado Christian University Softball. Playing the first of two doubleheaders against Black Hills State in Spearfish, SD, the Cougars dominated on the way to a pair of RMAC wins. Now 13-11 with just ten games remaining on the 2015 regular season schedule, CCU will look to improve on their 9-1, 9-8 wins Sunday in the series finale.
 
Freshman Letty Valenzuela got the Christian scoring going in both Saturday's wins. The Las Vegas, NM native gave CCU a 1-0 lead in the opener after a first-inning base hit through the middle scored Kristina Billante. Though BHSU answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, the Cougars barely blinked at the Yellow Jackets' response. Instead, the visitors caught fire from the plate, exploding for nine runs on ten hits. Fueling the CCU fire was pitcher Tana Feiner (12-8), who quenched the BHSU offense with a six-strikeout, four-hit showing from the circle.
 
The Yellow Jackets helped the Cougars regain their first-game lead in the third inning, as CCU picked up three consecutive runs off a walk, a hit by pitch, and a wild pitch. Up 4-1 after three, Christian would bolster their lead in the fifth and sixth thanks to RBI singles from Rylee Halenar and Jessica Romine in addition to doubles from Romine and Billante.
 
Tatham went 3-for-4 in the win, while Billante turned in a perfect 3-for-3 effort that included two runs and an RBI.
 
Though the Jackets made a game of it in the second contest, a lethal assault from Colorado Christian batters assured the Cougars would win their fourth straight. Thanks to 16 hits – including homers from Valenzuela and Sarah Rasmussen and doubles from Romine and Alexa Coffing – CCU held on despite a late surge from the home Black Hills team. Valenzuela's three-run bomb in the first inning got the Cougars a lead they would never relinquish. The freshman would score again three innings later, crossing home after Rasmussen's shot over the left field fence. Rasmussen and Valenzuela would wrap the game with a combined six RBI on six hits. Billante's effort resulted in another perfect showing – the junior went 4-for-4 in the late game to make it a spotless seven-hit effort in seven at-bats on the day. She pitched in for the 9-8 win with two RBI and three runs.
 
A crew of four Colorado Christian pitchers combined to get the Cougars the win. Starter Mariah Bledsoe (6-7) earned the win for the Cougars, after throwing 5.1 innings. Jennie Winston, Katie Edison, and Tana Feiner each spent time in the circle to close the game, with Feiner picking up the save after striking out two BHSU batters and allowing no hits in the final inning.
 
Sunday's doubleheader will feature a return to action for both squads, with CCU pursuing another sweep to advance their overall record to 21-21.