PUEBLO, CO- The Cougars closed the regular season on Saturday with another doubleheader at CSU Pueblo. After a 1-0 loss in a pitcher's duel in game one, CCU responded with fire in game two for a commanding 11-3 victory to head into the postseason with momentum.
GAME ONE
The first day of the game saw a fantastic performance in the circle from both pitchers as
Felesha LePenske faced off with the Thunderwolves' McKenna James.
Arriana Wright smacked a triple to right field in the first, but she was left stranded after a groundout.
No one could manage a hit till a double from CSUP in the third, but two quick outs from LePenske ended the threat and kept things scoreless. A double from
Paisley Williamson in the fifth with two outs did not pay off as another groundout was induced to end the inning.
Two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth had things looking good for CCU, but a two-out solo homer from the Thunderwolves was the difference ultimately.
Maya Schroeder singled in the seventh, and she advanced to second on a grounder. That was a s far as she would get as James closed the game out for the shutout victory.
LePenske suffered her first loss of the season despite a dominant 6.0 innings of work where she allowed just four hits and one run with three strikeouts. It was the first time all season the Cougars had been shutout.
GAME TWO
The offense got their rhythm back early in the series finale as Schroeder roped a two-run single up the middle in the first for the early lead. An
Elyse McMullin double in the second plated
Sarah Dollerschell, and Williamson picked up a fielder's choice RBI in the third for a 4-0 lead.
The runs kept coming as
Leah Garcia doubled home
Abbie Walden in the fifth, and Schroeder continued her stellar game with an RBI single to grow the lead to 6-0. CSU Pueblo plated a run in the fifth on a solo shot, but the Cougars had more offense in them to close things out.
Peyton Marvel got in on the action with an RBI triple in the seventh, and Williamson promptly singled her home for the 8-1 lead.
Kat Hanson broke the contest wide open as she blasted a three-run homer way over the right field wall to make it 11-1. Two runs in the final inning from CSUP did not affect the outcome as CCU got back on track with an 11-3 victory.
McMullin picked up the win in the circle with a complete game effort, while Hanson and Schroeder paced the offense with 3 RBI apiece.
The Cougars will now prepare to host the 2026 RMAC Tournament at All Star Park in Lakewood, CO, the second straight year it has been held there. With the tournament field set, the #1 seed Cougars have a bye and will await the winner of Colorado Mesa vs. UCCS in the semifinals Friday May 8 at 12 p.m. MDT.
