SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University softball team entered today's match-ups against New Mexico Highlands University and MSU-Denver with a seven game slump. Putting a halt to the longest losing streak of the season wasn't going to be an easy task for the Yellow Jackets.
That tough task proved to be true as BHSU dropped a 6-0 decision to New Mexico Highlands before falling to MSU-Denver 10-1 on Saturday afternoon in Denver, Colo.
The losses drop BHSU's record to 4-19, 3-15 RMAC.
New Mexico Highlands 6, Yellow Jackets 0
New Mexico Highlands added their first run of the game in the second inning when Gabby Hansell doubled, and came around to score on a wild pitch to make the score 1-0.
Hansell sparked the ignition for the Cowgirls in the fourth inning when she led off with a single. Hansell advanced to second base on a ground out, then to third base on a Dekota Monarrez single.
This paved the way for Kauilani Kamai, who came up with an RBI single to extend the Cowgirl lead to 2-0.
Hansell continued to be a thorn in the side for BHSU pitcher Carlee Beck when she roped a two-run single in the fifth inning. This plated Ashton Borunda and Destiny Navarro to make the score 4-0.
The Cowgirls fourth inning damage wasn't complete. Jessica Brinks' double play ground out scored Katelyn Bates to widen the New Mexico Highlands lead to 5-0. Kamai closed the Cowgirl scoring with an RBI-single that scored Jacquelin Solis to make the score 6-0.
Beck suffered the loss in the circle for BHSU. She gave up five runs on nine hits in four innings of work. Nia Shumpert, Claire Fergusson, Erica Everson, and Katie Campo each registered a hit for BHSU.
MSU-Denver 10, Yellow Jackets 1
Offense proved to be the Achilles heal for the Yellow Jackets as they only mustered three hits in this outing with the Roadrunners from MSU-Denver.
Everson set the tempo for BHSU in the first inning with a home run to give BHSU a 1-0 lead. However, the Roadrunners didn't blink as they scored ten unanswered runs the rest of the game.
MSU-Denver answered in the bottom of the first inning with four runs to give them a 4-1 lead. The Roadrunners added another four runs in the second inning, led by RBI hits from Annika Anderson and Sarena Espinoza to make the score 8-1.
An Espinoza two-run double plated Carissa Terry and Colissa Bakovich to widen the gap to 10-1 in the fourth inning.
Carrie Clarke and Stefanie Witman saw time in the circle for BHSU. Shumpert, Everson, and Witman each collected a hit for the Yellow Jackets.
BHSU will return to action tomorrow in Denver, Colo. They'll face Metro State at 10:00 a.m., then New Mexico Highlands at 12:00 p.m.
