Mavericks Win Series against Mines in RMAC Opening Weekend
(Game One: 6-5, Game Two: 8-7, Game Three: 5-13, Game Four: 6-5)

Mesa State softball (5-3, 3-1) team opened up Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play winning 3-of-4 from Colorado School Mines. MSC came from behind in the bottom of the seventh inning in both games Saturday winning 6-5 and 8-7 over the Orediggers. Sunday's doubleheader was a split with Mines winning 13-5 and MSC clinching the series with a 6-5 victory.

Game one of the series Mines scored three runs in the first inning and held a 5-2 lead heading in to the bottom of the fourth. MSC tied the score on a three run double to left center by senior Leslie Reed. The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Meagan Hennessy's single drove in pinch runner Elyce McKenna.

Starter Jessica Rayman improved to 3-0 on the season. Rayman allowed five runs (3 earned) on nine hits.

In game two on Saturday MSC again came from behind in the seventh inning after the Orediggers broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the seventh scoring two runs. Trailing 7-5 MSC capitalized on three hits and two Oredigger errors to score three runs for the 8-7 victory. Junior Jamie Prather started the inning with a single to right field. Nicole Zuniga reached on an error. Mines' double play left the Mavs with one on and two out. Hennessy's double to left center moved Zuniga to third. MSC tied the game when Anita Diaz singled, scoring Zuniga and Hennessy. Mines' s second error of the inning proved costly as a fielding error scored the winning run and an 8-7 win.

Alicia Neuschwanger earned her first victory as a Maverick allowing seven runs (6 earned) on 11 hits, striking out three.

Colorado Mines took game one Sunday in a shortened game as the Orediggers won 13-5 ending the game in the sixth inning (10-run rule). The Orediggers scored at least one run in all but the fourth inning and closed out the game with five runs in the top half of the fifth.

Rayman was credited with the loss (3-1) allowing 13 runs on 18 hits. Rayman struck out four and walked two. MSC had eight hits on the day including two each from Reed and Amanda Marchegiano.

In the final game of the series the Mavericks held off the Orediggers rally for a 6-5 victory. MSC held a 6-3 lead heading in to the top of the seventh. Mines scored two runs to close the gap to 6-5 before Neuschwanger struck out Mines' designated hitter.

MSC had 13 hits in the victory with Prather, Hennessy and Silva each finished with two hits and a combined five runs batted in.

The win pushed Neuschwanger's record to 2-2 on the year.

MSC will travel to Neb.-Kearney for a four game series beginning Saturday.

---MAVS---