Softball drops three of four vs Metro

The Colorado School of Mines softball team squared off against RMAC rival Metro State (25-11, 19-8 RMAC) in a four game set this weekend (two Friday and two Saturday) and after dominating the first game of the series, dropped the next three to fall to 16-21 on the season and 12-20 in conference.

In the first game of the series, Mines defeated the Roadrunners 9-1 in five innings. Sophomore Kristen Prudhomme took the mound and had a great outing, giving up just one earned on three hits in five innings of work, striking out three and walking one. Offensively, senior Gianna Duncan led the team with a career best four RBIs while going 2-for-3 with a double and a single. Freshman Paige Noehring scored twice and was 3-for-3 in the game, while senior Courtney Derus (2-for-3) and junior Cassie Ford (2-for-2 with a walk and a home run in the fourth) both added two RBIs. Metro avoided the shutout in the fourth scoring when Aubree Maul recorded an RBI single after Kaylynn Harmon doubled to start the inning.

Game two was a 12-4 six inning rout by Metro, ending what was a 10 game losing streak to Orediggers dating back to 2011. The Lady Orediggers started the scoring in the first with a two-run home run by Ford, but Metro’s Harmon answered with her own homer in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2. Harmon homered again in the third, this time a grand slam to put the Roadrunners up for good. Metro scored in five of the six innings and Prudhomme finished with a line of four innings pitched, giving up nine runs (seven earned), with two walks and two strikeouts. Noehring had two RBI on 2-for-4 hitting and ford went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

In the first game of Saturday’s double header, Mines fell just short losing 6-5 after failing to tie the game with the bases loaded and just one out in the seventh inning. Prudhomme took the loss giving up six runs (four earned) in six innings of work with one walk and one strikeout. Noehring was 2-for-3 and scored twice, while Derus knocked in two runs thanks to a first inning two run blast. Mines scored first in the opening frame jumping on top 3-0, but Metro tied it up in the bottom half of the inning. Mines once again took the lead in the fifth when a throwing error scored freshman Kara Walling, but Metro scored twice the in the bottom of the inning and again in the bottom of the sixth to lead 6-4. The Orediggers got one run back in the final frame, but stranded three to fall 6-5.

The final game of the series was a 9-4 loss. Prudhomme (14-19) pitched a complete game, but gave up nine earned thanks to two home runs, striking out three. Duncan had two RBIs going 2-for-4, and senior Melissa Marshall went 2-for-4 with a home run. Freshman Rebecca Fallon recorded an RBI with a fifth-inning sac fly that cut the lead to one run, but in the bottom half of the fifth, Metro plated three and grabbed one more in the sixth for insurance. Noehring added a hit running her hitting streak to 10 games, while going 1-for-4 in the game and 8-for-14 for the series.

The Orediggers dropped the series 3-1, and will finish up their regular season this weekend (April 26-27) at home in Golden against New Mexico Highlands.



Copyright © 2020 The Oredigger Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.