GOLDEN, CO- It was an extremely windy afternoon at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field as the Cougars closed their series at Mines with a doubleheader on Monday. CCU dealt with the wind well, rolling their way to a 13-2 run-rule victory in game one before holding on for a 3-1 victory in the series' final contest.

GAME ONE 
The bats got off to a hot start in game one as the Cougars notched seven singles in the first inning. Rachel Williams brought the first run of the game home with a base knock, and Danae Lopez made it 2-0 with a single of her own. The base hits continued as Camryn Quilling knocked home a run and Cheyenne Stark followed with another single as the score stood at 5-0. Elyse McMullin closed the first inning scoring with a base knock as the inning ended with CCU on top 6-0. 

Williams picked up an RBI groundout in the second before the Orediggers got a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning from Cassidy Chvatal. Leah Garcia notched an RBI single in the third, and sisters Lauren Garcia and Leah went back-to-back in the fourth with RBI singles to stretch the lead to 11-1. 

One run in the fourth from Mines did little to deter CCU as they responded with a Peyton Marvel RBI hit and an RBI groundout from Stark as the Cougars mercy-ruled the Orediggers in five innings 13-2. 

McMullin tallied win number eight on the year with four innings pitched and just two runs allowed, and Hanna Espinoza closed the final inning from the circle. Four batters tallied two RBI including Leah, Lauren, Williams and Stark. 

GAME TWO
The wind died down considerably in game two, and the score reflected that. Neither team managed to score through the first two innings, but CCU broke through in the third off a Williams single to plate McMullin. Lopez then notched a sac fly to make it 2-0. 

The teams battled into the fifth when Lopez roped a single to right center to score McMullin and make it 3-0. Chvatal continued on her tear with a solo homer in the fifth, but Espinoza came in and was able to grab the four out save to ice the 3-1 victory and series victory for the Cougars. 

Emma Duncan registered the victory, taking a no-hitter into the fifth and striking out four with 5.2 innings of work. Espinoza claimed save number three on the season with her 1.1 innings pitched. Lopez was clutch for her team with a pair of RBI in the victory. 

CCU will now return home to All Star Park for a series against Chadron State slated to begin March 21 with a doubleheader at 12 and 2 p.m. MST.