LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Making their annual trip to the Montana State University-Billings Desert Stinger, the University of Mary Softball team ended the first day on a high note, as they were one out short of completing the three-game sweep on the day. The Marauders fell to the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, 8-7, before defeating the University of Texas-Permian Basin and Lubbock Christian University, 11-7 and 2-1, respectively.
 
The Marauders (2-1) took on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs in the midafternoon game and U-Mary had to dig themselves out of an early hole to the Mountain Lions.
 
The Marauders took an early lead in the first inning after they capitalized on an error by the third baseman and Taylor Mendez recorded her first two RBI of the year after Nicole O'Haver and Alana Norman crossed the plate.
 
Erin Keen was roughed up in her first outing as the Mountain Lions scored two runs, one on a wild pitch and another on a fielder's choice, and tied the game at 2-2. Colorado Springs added three more runs in the second inning off walks and Keen left the game early as the Marauders faced a 5-2 deficit after two innings.
 
U-Mary methodically fought they way back into the game as Colleen Crutchfield sent a pitch over the fence in the fourth inning to narrow the Mountain Lion lead to 5-3 after four. The Marauders finally tied the game after the Lions committed two errors in the fifth, allowing Francine Villalobos and Amber Gamboa to cross the plate and make the score 5-5 going into the bottom of the fifth. Colorado Springs responded when it was their turn to bat as they sent a blast over the fence for two runs and regained their lead at 7-5 after five.
 
The Marauders proved their scrappiness, however, as Nena Dudley doubled in her at bat in the next inning and scored Alexandra McDermott to cut the Mountain Lion lead back down to 7-6 going into the bottom of the sixth, but Colorado Springs got back their two-run advantage after scoring a run off an error by the shortstop to put the score back at 8-6 heading into the seventh.
 
Mendez got the ball rolling with a two-out double to left center to keep the Marauders alive and Julissa Perales drove her in with a single up the middle to narrow the gap to 8-7 with two out and a runner on first. Unfortunately the rally was cut short as Crutchfield popped out to the shortstop and the Marauders fell to the Mountain Lions in the first game of the day, 8-7.
 
U-Mary took on the University of Texas-Permian Basin in the late afternoon game and the Marauders wasted no time taking the lead after an 8-run third inning ended up being the deciding factor in the game.
 
Demaree Rodriguez started off the rally with a two-run homerun; Norman kept it going with an RBI single to second base; Amber Gamboa fueled the fire with an RBI single; Perales added an RBI triple; and Crutchfield capped off the rally with and RBI single, scoring Perales. When the dust finally settled, the Marauders held an 8-0 lead that the Falcons would never recover from.
 
The Falcons cut into the Marauder lead in the bottom of the third with a two-run homerun, but Crutchfield gave U-Mary some insurance runs as she recorded an RBI double, scoring two for the Marauders and keeping a comfortable cushion at 10-2 going into the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Marauders had a bit of a scare in the bottom of the fifth as the Falcons got a mini-rally going starting with an RBI double before adding three more from a walk, a wild pitch, and an error on U-Mary.
 
Holding on to a 10-7 lead, the Marauders got one more insurance run from Demaree as she reached on an error by the shortstop and scored Perales, putting the lead back at 11-8 with the last at bat for Permian Basin coming up.
 
The Falcons got an early runner on from an error but was out at third after a fielder's choice. The next batter struck out swinging and the final batter for the Falcons grounded out to the pitcher, giving the Marauders their first win of the year at 11-7.
 
The final game wouldn't start until late at night, as U-Mary took on Lubbock Christian University in the final game of the day. The game turned into a pitcher's duel but the difference maker turned out to be Perales as she recorded both RBI for the Marauders, one in the second inning off a double and the other in the fourth inning off a single, to give U-Mary a 2-0 lead over the Lady Chaps.
 
Dudley got the start in the circle for the Marauders and she went the distance as she finished with seven innings pitched with only one run, one earned, and 12 strikeouts. The lone run of the day for Lubbock Christian came off a homerun in the sixth inning, but Dudley responded by striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 2-1 victory for U-Mary.
 
Perales provided the power for the Marauders on the day as she finished batting 6-of-9 with two doubles, a triple, and five RBI.
 
Crutchfield was right behind as she finished batting 4-of-9 with a double, homerun, and four RBI.
 
Norman was active at the plate and on the base paths as she finished 4-of-10 with four singles, and three stolen bases.
 
Dudley earned two decisions on the day, finishing 2-0 with 11.1 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA.
 
The Marauders begin day two of the Desert Stinger today with games against Notre Dame de Namur University and Simon Fraser University.
 
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