LUBBOCK, TX- Colorado Christian softball kicked off their second weekend of the season at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational with a pair of games on Friday. The Cougars blanked Oklahoma Baptist 5-0 in the first game, but fell 1-0 on a walk-off hit from Northwestern Oklahoma State in the second.

GAME ONE
For the first two innings against the Bison, it appeared as if a pitching duel was in the making. However, the Cougars broke the scoreless tie in the third with a Kenzie Middleton single to score Ellie Sather. The fourth inning saw Colorado Christian really take control of the game with timely hitting with runners in scoring position. First Sydney Reamer doubled down the left field line with the bases loaded to score Kayla Middleton and Taylor Olsen. Then Sami Edwards singled home Reamer and Logan Menzies to take the 5-0 lead for her team. Alexis Hamilton dazzled throughout, walking one batter and allowing just three hits en route to a complete game shutout for the Cougars as they came out on top 5-0. 

GAME TWO
The second contest of the day came against Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Abrie Castillo found herself in a pitching duel against the Rangers' Hannah Howell from the get go. The Cougars threatened many times throughout the first three innings, including a bases loaded situation in the third, but they could not get a run across on Howell. Castillo kept up her end of the bargain, shutting down the Rangers through six scoreless innings. After a Piper Lujan double in the top of the seventh, Emily Arp entered to pinch run and made it to third on a passed ball. However, Colorado Christian could not push the run across and headed to the bottom of the seventh tied at zero. Northwestern Oklahoma State put the game away as they began the inning with a single and followed it up with a walk-off triple to take the 1-0 victory. 

UP NEXT- The Cougars will continue play February 12 against the defending national champions West Texas A&M at 9 a.m. They will play again at 11 a.m. against Eastern New Mexico in a rematch of a 13-9 victory for Colorado Christian last weekend.