Loper Softball Salvages Win Monday Night

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Senior catcher Katie Gosker hit a Grand Slam and senior third baseman Avery Wood also drove in four runs as Nebraska Kearney out lasted Colorado-Colorado Springs, 12-7, Monday night in Colorado.

The Lopers (4-4) salvaged the last of a four-game series with the Mountain Lions (3-6). UCCS took Monday’s first game by a 12-8 score.

Gosker (Blair) belted her 26th career long ball in the fourth to erase a 2-0 deficit. UNK wouldn’t trail again although UCCS scored in each of the final three innings. Wood (Kearney H.S.) belted a two-run shot in the sixth and recorded a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh to secure the win.

Colorado junior Stacy Bott threw two scoreless innings of relief to pickup the save. UCCS saw three-hole hitter and sophomore third baseman Paige White go 3 for 3 with two RBI’s. Freshman catcher Molly Sherwood also went 3 for 3 as Springs led 2-0 after three full innings.

In the early game, the Mountain Lions used eight walks and five extra base hits to record a 12-8 win. Lincoln junior outfielder Carly Dembowski (2 for 3, three runs & five RBI’s) tried to keep UNK in it by hitting homers in the first and sixth innings. However, the Lions never trailed after grabbing a 6-3 lead after two full innings.

Sophomore catcher Cassidy Hubner (3 for 3, three RBI’s) and junior second baseman Morgan Hernandez-Belew (2 for 3, three runs & three RBI’s) paced Springs. Besides Dembowski, Kearney sophomore second baseman Kylee Bruning went 2 for 4 with two RBI’s from the nine-hole.

UNK heads to Oklahoma City this weekend for the Raising Canes Invitational.