LAS VEGAS – If the opening two games of the 2020 season are any indication of what the rest of the campaign holds, fans of the Colorado Christian softball team can expect excitement and stress.
The Cougars posted a pair of one-run wins to start their five-game schedule at the Desert Stinger Invitational.
Colorado Christian 5, Concordia-Portland 4
Despite trailing in the early inning, the Cougars didn't panic. They rallied back then lost lead but stayed composed to secure the victory late.
Trailing by a pair of runs after the first inning, the Cougars got their first runs of 2020 when a Kacie Burger double plated Makena Martin in the third frame. Newcomer Samaria Roope had her first of what will be many timely base knocks as she doubled home Caitlin McCarthy and Stephanie Day. The hit gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead after the fourth inning.
Concordia-Portland responded with a two-run home run in the sixth inning to regain the lead (4-3). The Cougars still had one more rally in them. Jamie Romero hit a two-out single to leftfield that allowed Martin and Ramsey Kilgore to cross the plate. The resiliency of the Cougars was shown in that sixth frame as the first two batters didn't reach base but the squad persisted in the taking the lead.
Jennifer Romero set down the Cavaliers in the final inning to secure to the win and wrapped up an effort that saw her throw 6.1 innings and strikeout four.
Offensively Roope and Martin each had two of the squad's eight total hits.
Colorado Christian 6, Cal State San Bernardino 5
Despite not leading at any point until the final base hit, the Cougars took a dramatic route to their second victory of the day.
Caitlin McCarthy closed out the Cougars win with a two-out walk-off single to leftfield that scored Kiah Parker and Makena Martin. That moment wrapped a contest in which the Cougars were playing catch-up.
Down 2-0 after the initial frame, the Cougars scored a run in the second and third innings respectively. Sami Edwards and Jamie Romero provided RBI singles in each of those frames to tie the score.
Cal State San Bernardino retook a one-run lead in the third inning but Parker hit her first collegiate homerun in the fourth to knot the contest at 3-3. The Coyotes responded with a run each in the sixth and seventh innings to command a 5-3 lead.
The two-run deficit was no worry for the Cougars. Kacie Burger started the scoring when she drew a two-out base loaded walk. Three pitches later the game was over when McCarthy's heroics sealed the contest.
Colorado Christian pounded out 12 hits as a team with McCarthy, Roope and Jamie Romero each providing two.
Roope was pivotal inside the pitchers circle as well as she went 2.2 innings to earn the win in relief.
