IRVINE, CA- The Cougars played their final two games of the CUI Kickoff Classic on Sunday, taking on Chico State and Hawaii at Hilo. Colorado Christian used a gem from Abrie Castillo and an inside the park home run to edge the Wildcats 2-1, and they brought the bats out for a 10-3 victory over the Vulcans.

GAME ONE 
Taking on a quality Chico State team in their first contest, CCU did not flinch and stayed locked in throughout. Neither team could put together much offense in the game, as both pitchers frequently got out of jams and shut down their opponent. Something was bound to give, and it did in the bottom of the fifth. Kayla Middleton stepped up to the plate with Mikayla Oaks on base, and smacked a ball between the center and right fielder that saw them both dive and not make it to the ball. Middleton charged around the bases and came all the way home to give her squad a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats threatened to come back in the final inning, scoring a run and putting a runner at third. However, Castillo was having none of the rally, inducing a popup to second base and a strikeout to end things 2-1. 

Castillo was excellent all day, pitching her way to a complete game victory with four strikeouts. Kayla Middleton came up huge for her team with a smart read on the basepaths as she came all the way around to score an in the parker and give her team the two runs needed to win. 

GAME TWO
In their second contest of the day, the Cougars got right to work, as Savannah Tourville doubled home Kenzie Middleton after her game-opening single. The Vulcans responded in their half of the first, tacking on two runs to take the lead. Tourville came through yet again in the second, doubling home the tying run to score Sami Edwards. Heading to the fight it was a tie game, but Edwards showed why she is an All-American, slapping an RBI single to give CCU the lead for good. Things unraveled for Hilo in the sixth, starting with an RBI single from Taylor Olsen. Logan Menzies pinch hit and promptly picked up an RBI knock herself. An error allowed Kayla Middleton to score as the lead grew to 6-2. The Vulcans brought it back to three at 6-3, but a four-run seventh from CCU put things away as they claimed the 10-3 victory.

A group effort of Alexis Hamilton and Kali Crandall kept the Vulcans in check, and Menzies came through big with two at bats and three RBI as a pinch hitter. 

After a 4-2 weekend, Kali Crandall and Kenzie Middleton were named to the All-Tournament Team. 

Up next for the Cougars is a doubleheader at Azusa Pacific University on February 7 at 5 and 7 p.m. MST.