BROOMFIELD, Colo. – The Black Hills State University softball team split a four-game series with Colorado State University-Pueblo this weekend. The Thunderwolves took both games on Saturday, while the Yellow Jackets swept Sunday's doubleheader.

CSU-Pueblo 2, BHSU 0
The first two innings of the first game of the series remained scoreless. In the top of the third, the Thunderwolves (5-10, 4-4 RMAC) got on the board with an RBI single by Gabby Moreno.

The Yellow Jackets (2-10) got a runner to second base in the bottom half of both the third and fourth innings, but were unable to plate a run. CSU-Pueblo added an insurance run in the top of the fifth, when Moreno hit her second RBI single of the game. BHSU was unable to muster any runs, and ultimately fell in the opening RMAC game of the year.

Maddie London finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, while Katelyn Odle and Melissa Gellermann each recorded a hit.

Alex Wiley (0-4) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets. She threw 6.0 innings, allowing two runs while striking out four. Gellermann threw the final scoreless 1.0 inning, striking out two without allowing a hit. K'Lee Kent (3-4) earned the victory for the Thunderwolves, striking out three in 7.0 innings of work.

CSU-Pueblo 3, BHSU 1
The Thunderwolves scored a run early in game two, opening the first inning with back-to-back triples to take a 1-0 lead. Neither team was able to plate another run until the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, CSUP added one run after stringing together three consecutive singles. The Thunderwolves scored one more in top of the sixth, going up 3-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Wiley put the Yellow Jackets on the board, crushing her third home run of the year. The Green and Gold then loaded the bases, with Morgan Smith and Maddi Fidler both hitting singles, before Kindall Bethke reached on an error. A ground out by Gellermann ended the threat, however, and CSU-Pueblo swept the day.

Fidler went 4-for-4 in the game, while Wiley was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Smith and Claire Fergusson both recorded a hit.

Gellermann (0-5) took the loss in the circle. She allowed three runs in 5.2 innings pitched. She struck out five Thunderwolves. Wiley threw the final 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits.

BHSU 13, CSU-Pueblo 5 (6 innings)
The Thunderwolves got out fast in the first game on Sunday, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. However, the Yellow Jackets responded in the bottom of the first, scoring two of their own. After Wiley and Smith singled to open the inning, Maddie London doubled with two outs to tie the game, 2-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Green and Gold bats got going. With the bases juiced, Jordyn Ballard hit a pinch hit triple to give BHSU a 5-2 lead. On the next at bat, Wiley hit her second homer of the weekend, and fourth of the year. After a Smith double and Odle single, Fidler hit a grounder to second base which allowed Smith to score and give the Yellow Jackets an 8-2 lead after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, CSU-Pueblo got three runs back to cut the lead to 8-5, however, the Yellow Jacket offense would not let up. In the home half of the inning, Bethke led off with a double before Gellermann walked. Samantha Schoen hit a triple to bring across two runs. Later in the inning, Smith hit an RBI double, and Fidler recorded an RBI on a single, as BHSU led 12-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Yellow Jackets brought one more run across, putting the lead to eight, and ending the game in favor of BHSU, 13-5.

Smith and Bethke each recorded three hits in the game, while Wiley and Odle each had two. Ballard led the team with three RBI, while Wiley, Fidler, London, and Schoen each recorded two RBI. Smith chipped in one run batted in.

Wiley (1-4) earned the victory for BHSU. She threw 6.0 innings, allowing five runs (two earned) and striking out one.

BHSU 8, CSU-Pueblo 2
Looking to split the series, the Yellow Jackets remained hot in game two. In the bottom of the first inning, Odle hit an RBI double, and London hit a sac fly to put BHSU up, 2-0. The Green and Gold added an insurance run in the second inning on a Smith RBI double.

The Thunderwolves got one run back in the top of the third inning, but in the bottom of the fourth, BHSU added two runs to go up, 5-1. In the fifth, the Yellow Jackets added three runs to the cushion. Although CSU-Pueblo was able to score one run in the sixth inning, the Green and Gold defense held firm, earning the doubleheader sweep, 8-2.

Wiley, Fidler, and Gellermann each recorded three hits in the game, while Odle and Bethke had two. Odle had two RBI in the game, and Smith, Fidler, London, and Gellermann each recorded a run batted in.

Gellermann (1-5) earned the win in the circle. She threw a complete game, allowing two runs on four hits, and stuck out three.

The Green and Gold will next travel to Colorado Christian for a four game series on Saturday, March 10, and Sunday, March 11. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for noon, while Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 11 a.m.
  Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.