LAKEWOOD, CO- The Cougars closed the series with UCCS with a tightly contested matchup on Saturday at All Star Park. The two evenly matched squads battled to the final inning, but the Mountain Lions managed to pull out the 7-6 victory to split the series. 

The visitors struck first in the contest scoring a trio of runs in the second. Caden Walton picked up an RBI fielder's choice in the third to tighten the gap, but UCCS responded with a run in the fifth on an error. The offense got going and began to rally in their half of the fifth as they tried to make the comeback. 

Walton continued his hot hitting, lacing his second triple of the series to score Kade Carney and make it 5-2. Luke Thompson singled in another tally as the gap became just two runs at 5-3. A run in the sixth from UCCS gave them a 6-3 advantage, but the Cougars refused to go down quietly. 

Walton connected on a ball and launched it over the left field wall for a two-run homer as the lead was cut to just one. In the eighth, Carney ripped a single to tie the game as the two teams battled into the ninth inning. Unfortunately, the Mountain Lions plated a run in their half of the ninth and held on in another tight affair by a final score of 7-6. 

Justin Estrada started on the mound and put in five innings of solid work, while Cole Kennedy gave a strong 3.1 innings on the mound. Walton had an explosive game offensively, tallying 4 RBI with a triple and homer. 

The Cougars have a week off before they return to action on April 12 at CSU Pueblo with first pitch set for 3 p.m. MST.