LAS VEGAS – Colleen Crutchfield and Hannah Holtz both cracked a pair of hits for the University of Mary softball team but a defensive letdown in the final game for the Marauders at the Desert Stinger Classis led to a 6-1 loss to Central Washington.
 
A strong starting performance by sophomore pitcher Brieann Backes went for naught as Mary committed seven errors. All five runs allowed by Backes were unearned. In four innings of work she allowed just four hits and two walks. Taylor Lara also had her best outing of he weekend, allowing one run on three hits and one walk in three innings. She struck out one hitter.
 
The Cougars scored the opening run in the second after their leadoff hitter reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
Central Washington put the game away in the fourth after plating four runs, all unearned. The Cougars combined two hits – including a 2-out 2-run double by Jacie McDaniels – and three Marauders miscues for the outburst.
 
The Marauders scored their lone run in the sixth. Holtz singed to center with one out and scored on a Stephanie Alvarez double to left center to close within 5-1.
 
Both teams collected seven hits in the game. Mary errors matched each squad's hit total while Central Washington committed just one error.
 
Mary finished the Desert Stinger 0-5. The Marauders return to action with six games at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, AZ, on Feb. 17-19.
 
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