GRAND JUNCTION, CO – The Cougars kicked off the RMAC tournament against a familiar foe in the Fort Lewis SkyHawks. The Cougars fell behind early but battled back to take their first game of the tournament. The Cougars played MSU Denver at 6:30 p.m. in one of the most exciting games of the season that was back and forth throughout the entire game.
HOW IT HAPPENED –
GAME ONE: The SkyHawks struck first, with an RBI single up the middle to open the scoring, the Cougars responded in the bottom of the third inning, first with a Sydney Reamer single up the middle followed up by the red hot Kenzie Middleton hitting a two run home run to dead center.
Fort Lewis didn't go away quietly, as they scored again in the fourth inning bringing the score to within one. The Cougars however kept the foot on the gas with another RBI from Reamer off a double that hit the bottom of the wall and a Stephanie Day single to center field.
The SkyHawks scored again in the sixth and the Cougars responded in the bottom of the inning with a Samaria Roope solo home run down the left field line.
COUGARS LEADERS: Sydney Reamer and Sami Edwards both had two hits, Reamer and Kenzie Middleton drove in two.
In the circle Sydney Rawlings picked up her fourth win with a 5.1 inning performance with five strikeouts. Samaria Roope pitched the final 1.2 and recorded her second save of the season.
GAME TWO: MSU Denver got out to an early lead with a solo home run and a throwing error by the Cougars. Colorado Christian would not be down for long as Stephanie Day doubled to center field to tie the game for the Cougars.
MSU Denver moved in front again in the bottom of third inning on the second Cougars error but the Cougars continued to match the Roadrunners run for fun as Samaria Roope hit her second home run of the day as the Cougars evened it up 4-4.
The game of seesaw continued heading into the fifth with MSU Denver taking the lead again with a one run double but the Cougars responded in the top of the sixth with another Samaria Roope home run to tie the game once again as neither team seemed prepared to take the lead for good.
The game blew open in the top of the seventh inning as Piper Lujan started the scoring in the seventh with a two run home run to give the Cougars the lead once again. Sami Edwards continued the run with a two run single to right field as the Cougars stretched the lead to the largest of the game with four runs in the inning.
MSU Denver did not go away quietly with two doubles in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 9-7 but could not score any more as Sydney Rawlings shut the door pitching in relief.
COUGAR LEADERS: Sami Edwards and Kaelin Morkisch both had three hits, Samaria Roope had three RBI.
Julie Katz started the game and pitched two innings, Jennifer Romero pitched 4.1 innings and recorded the win. Roope faced one batter and Sydney Rawlings pitched 0.2 innings and got her second save of the season.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Cougars used all four of their top pitchers against MSU Denver
- The Cougars have now won five in a row against MSU Denver which matches their longest win streak against the Roadrunners.
- Roope is the first Cougars player to hit a home run and record a save in the same game this season.
- The Cougars only struck out three times in two games
UP NEXT: The Cougars will take on number one seed Colorado Mesa tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., the winner will advance to the championship game.
