CONROE, Texas – Staring down two Top 25 opponents and seeking their first win of the season Saturday, the Colorado School of Mines softball team opened day two of the 2025 DII First Pitch Invitational against #11 Angelo State and defending national champions #1 UT Tyler. Though they didn't crack the win column, the Orediggers (0-4) gave both the Rambelles (4-0) and Patriots (4-0) all they wanted, playing well but coming out on the wrong end of a pair losses by tallies of 6-0 and 8-3.
 
Game one saw Angelo State plate a pair in the top of the first with one run coming on a bizarre sequence as Paris Brienesse stole second before being able to come around and score after the throw down caromed off her helmet and into left center. A lineout sacrifice fly by Erin Plunkett plated Averie Gunther as the Rambelles took the lead.
 
ASU added two more runs in the third as a one-out single was followed by a two-run home run by Laylonna Applin to double the lead to 4-0. Starter Ellen Shull (0-1) settled in following the second two-run frame, posting clean innings in the fourth and fifth innings and leaving three runners on to give the Orediggers a chance.
 
Unfortunately the Rambelles added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run double to left by Blake Holtorf that narrowly missed clearing the bases with a grand slam as the line shot banged off the top of the wall and back into play. Mia Lopez laced a leadoff single in the home half as Mines looked to answer, but nothing came of it as she advanced to second before being stranded.
 
Shull worked around a single in the seventh and induced a 6-3 double play to end the frame and the Orediggers looked to rally in their final at bats. Kate Whipple was the second in a line of pinch hitters in the inning and reached on a one-out infield single in her first college at bat and was joined on base by Emily Rogers following an infield single of her own. Taylor Wayne kept the train moving with a single through the left side to load the bases, but a 5-3 double play off the bat of Sam Whisenand dashed any hopes of a comeback in a 6-0 loss.
 
The Orediggers found themselves behind right away again in game two against UT Tyler as a single and a pair of outfield errors allowed a pair of two-out runs to score and make it a 2-0 game. Both sides went down in order in the second before Mines took the lead in the third.
 
Mia Lopez led off the frame with a hit by pitch before Kellan Ton singled down the left field line. Both advanced 60 feet on a groundout before Lopez scored on a single to center by Hannah Roberts. Cassidy Chvatal singled and after a strikeout, Kailey Morales delivered an infield single to score Ton and level the score at 2-2 and force a pitching change by the Patriots with bases loaded. Emily Rogers was first to face Kaylee Davis and worked a walk to force home Roberts and take a 3-2 lead.
 
UTT drew back even in their half on a bases loaded hit by pitch from Abbie Behe before retaking the lead in the fourth. A one-out triple to right field followed by a sac fly saw JT Smith score to make it 4-3 as Kat Miller (0-1) looked to keep it a one-run game with two outs in the inning, but instead a Bailey Krolczyk solo homer to left made it a 5-3 game.
 
Lindy French looked to lead an answer in the top of the fifth with a single back up the box, but nothing came of it as Mines was retired on strikes in the inning. Miller rebounded to spin a 1-2-3 inning in the home half before the Orediggers loaded the bases in the sixth with the first three batters of the inning. Lauren Romero was plunked leading off and stole second before Lopzez and Ton each singled to load things up and force another pitching change. Primrose Aholelei came on and managed to retire the next three batters in order as the scoring opportunity went by the wayside.
 
The Patriots added two more insurance runs in the home sixth on a one-out infield single followed by a two-run double to make it 8-3 heading to the seventh. E Self notched a pinch hit single with one out, looking to spark a late push but it was to no avail as a strikeout and flyout to left ended the ballgame.
 
NOTABLES
-Ton and Chvatal each recorded a pair of hits in game two against the Patriots with the former scoring a run and stealing her first base of the season
-Self notched a hit in each game including a pinch hit single in game two
-Roberts went 1-4 with a run and an RBI in game two
-French recorded a hit in each game and has now hit safely in all four games this weekend
-Lopez recorded the first two hits of her collegiate career, hitting safely in both games
-Morales singled and drove in her third run of the weekend against UT Tyler
-Romero stole the first base of her career in game two
-Whipple made her collegiate debut in game one and recorded a pinch hit single in her first at bat
-Wayne recorded a pinch hit single in game one as well, her first knock since April 25, 2022 against Chadron State and the third hit of her career in 16 official at bats
-Rogers recorded her first hit of the season, also of the pinch hit variety in game one
-Shull spun the first complete game of her career and in just two outings this season, surpassed her total innings count from 2024
-Miller also went the distance against the defending national champions allowing five earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers close out the weekend Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. CT against Texas Woman's in their final game of the DII First Pitch Invitational.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on X at @MinesSoftball and on Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.