Softball Splits With #21 Colorado Christian

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The St. Mary's University Softball team worked a split against No. 21 Colorado Christian on Friday, rebounding from a 4-0 loss to win a 12-10 thriller in the nightcap.
 
With the split, the Rattlers are 4-6 on the young season and earned their first-ever win over the Cougars in their fourth try. It is also the first loss for CCU this season (6-1).
 
The games scheduled for Saturday at MSU Denver have officially been rescheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. (Mountain)/12 p.m. (Central) due to inclement weather in the metro area.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
The Rattlers managed only two hits in the first game but drew five walks and were hit once in the 4-0 loss. 
 
Junior Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas), playing in her first game of the season, was 1-for-3, while junior Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) was 1-for-4, hitting out of the two spot for the first time in 2024.
 
The Cougars plated one in the first, one in the second, and one run each in the fifth and sixth for their sixth win of the year.
 
Junior Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts, falling to 0-2 on the season. Junior Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) was in the circle for the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
St. Mary's exploded for 10 runs in the final two innings to complete the comeback for a 12-10 win, snapping a three-game losing streak.
 
In her first start in the outfield, sophomore Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas) went 3-for-5 with three runs scored out of the leadoff position with a double. All three of Reba Reyes' (Brownsville, Texas) hits were for extra bases as she hit her second home run in as many days and added two doubles and four RBI.
 
Both Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) and senior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) had multi-hit days, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI each.
 
Sophomore Breanna Ford (Corpus Christi) started in the circle, pitching the first 1 2/3 innings. She allowed three earned runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Ford reentered for the seventh inning, retiring the side in order to get her first save of the year. Sophomore Emily Ayala (San Antonio) worked the next 3 2/3 innings. She gave up five runs on six hits in the windy, cold conditions.
 
Youngblood retired both batters she faced in the sixth inning to get the Rattlers out of the jam and win her first game of the year.
 
Dela Rosa kicked off the game with a double to right field  and scored when Tennill singled to right to give StMU the 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the second, CCU scored five runs on four hits with one StMU error and a walk.
 
Reyes got one run back in the top of the fourth when she homered to left center to make the scoreboard read 5-2.
 
The Cougars tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to five, 7-2 and then the Rattlers went to work in the sixth.
 
With one out, freshman Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) took advantage of an error by the short stop to stand on first. Kimberly Ramirez (San Antonio), pinch hitting, singled to right and Dela Rosa beat out a bunt to load the bases. Tennill was credited with a fielder's choice and everyone was safe for an RBI. With two outs, Holder hit a ground-rule double to plate a pair and Gomez followed with a single between short and third to score Tennill. Reyes kept up her hot bat with a double to right center and after a pitching change scampered to third on a passed ball. She scored on a fantastic bunt single by Arianna (AJ) Sanchez (San Antonio) to give the Gold and Blue a 9-7 lead.
 
The Cougars regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of home runs for the 10-9 tally.
 
However, the Rattlers weren't finished, as with one out, Dela Rosa singled to center field. Tennill singled to left and Ayala scored Dela Rosa with a single to right center. Holder hit into a fielder's choice, erasing Tennill off the base paths but Gomez picked her up with a single to left to plate Ayala. Reyes hit a ground-rule double to plate Holder for the 12-10 tally.
 
Ford came back into the circle for the Rattlers in the bottom of the seventh, sandwiching a pair of strike outs around a comebacker for the victory.