PUEBLO, CO- The Cougars headed down to second place CSU Pueblo for a doubleheader on Friday. After claiming a tight game one 4-3, CCU saw their 47 game win streak snapped in a 9-5 setback at the hands of the Thunderwolves.
GAME ONE
Pitcher
Felesha LePenske helped her cause early in game one, blasting a solo homer in the second to put her team on top. CSUP responded with a two-run shot in their half of the second to take the lead and put the pressure on the Cougars.
The #3 team in the country responded immediately as
Sarah Dollerschell singled home
Paisley Williamson to tie the game at 2-2. The nations' RBI leader
Arriana Wright tallied another run batted in, roping a double to score Dollerschell and give her team the lead back 3-2.
The two teams battled from there as neither team scored in the fourth or fifth innings, while
Peyton Marvel gave her team a vital insurance run in the sixth with an RBI groundout to make it 4-2. A run in the seventh from the hosts made things close, but LePenske closed the door on her 21st victory of the season for the 4-3 win.
Felesha allowed just four hits in 7.0 innings of work as she improved to 21-0 on the season. A balanced effort saw four players record an RBI apiece to make it 47 straight wins.
GAME TWO
The Cougars had a rough first inning, falling behind 5-0 and they could never quite recover from the deficit. CCU rallied in the second as Dollerschell drew a bases loaded walk, while
Kat Hanson lined a two-run single to trim the deficit to 5-3.
A Thunderwolves run in the fourth was answered in the fifth with back-to-back homers from Wright and LePenske as the Cougars closed to within one at 6-5. CSUP was able to gain some separation, scoring three more runs in the sixth to take a 9-5 lead to the final frame. CCU could not rally back, dropping their first game since February 3 9-5.
Hanna Espinoza was strong in relief, going 5.0 innings with just 3 earned runs allowed. Hanson led the offense with 2 RBI and LePenske homered for the second straight game in the series.
The Cougars will look to get back on track in their final two games of the regular season tomorrow against CSU Pueblo at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. MDT.
