SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University softball team entered their final road stand of the 2015 season boosting more confidence. Coming off a 7-2 victory over Colorado Christian on April 12, the Yellow Jackets knew they had the pieces of the puzzle to knock of the Thunderwolves from CSU-Pueblo on Saturday afternoon in Pueblo, Colo.
A lack of offense was the remedy for BHSU. They only mustered three hits between their 3-0 and 12-2 losses to the Thunderwolves on Saturday afternoon.
The losses drop BHSU's record to 7-32, 4-26 RMAC while CSU-Pueblo improves to 21-21, 17-13 RMAC.
CSU-Pueblo 3, Yellow Jackets 0
Kaitlin Farrar chalked up a solid pitching outing for the Yellow Jackets. She surrendered three runs on seven hits and struck out three in a complete game effort.
However, the third inning came back to bite BHSU as the Thunderwolves scored all three of their runs in that frame. CSU-Pueblo came up with two-out magic after Moriah Turney reach first base on a hit by pitch.
Alyssa Ubrun and Alexa Snyder came up with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Sidney Bailey prevailed with a two-run double that scored Turney and Ubrun to give the Thunderwolves a 2-0 lead.
Snyder later scored from third base on a wild pitch to extend the CSU-Pueblo lead to 3-0.
Stefanie Witman's second-inning double was the only hit registered by the Yellow Jackets.
CSU-Pueblo pitcher Kelli Henry gave up one hit and struck out six batters in a complete game.
CSU-Pueblo 12, Yellow Jackets 2
The Thunderwolves took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and didn't look back. After Kennedy Smith walked to lead off the second inning, Yellow Jacket head coach Lane Leedy swapped in Stefanie Witman for Carlee Beck on the pitching rubber.
That wasn't the solution as Alyssa Ubrun walked and advanced to second base on Alexa Snyder's bunt single to load the bases. Bailey answered with a sacrifice fly that plated Smith to extend the CSU-Pueblo lead to 3-0.
Chrystal Reese followed that with a two-run single that scored Snyder and Ubrun to make the score 5-0. Lexie Martindale and Turney closed the second inning with back-to-back RBI-singles to widen the margin to 7-0.
CSU-Pueblo matched their second inning performance with five third inning runs to extend their lead to 12-0.
The Yellow Jacket didn't come up empty. They added a pair of runs in the fifth inning when Rebecca Green broke up CSU-Pueblo pitcher Madison Wolfe's no-hit bid with a two-run home run to make the score 12-2.
Beck took the pitching loss. She was tagged for three runs on four hits in one inning of work. Green's home run and Claire Fergusson's single were the only BHSU hits.
The Yellow Jackets return to action against CSU-Pueblo tomorrow, Sunday, April 19. Game times are set for 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
