Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team split two games with Colorado State -Pueblo and swept Adams State over the weekend in Pueblo, Colo.

UNK has won three in a row and six of eight to be at 12-21 for the year and 11-12 in RMAC play. The Lopers are in the hunt for one of eight RMAC Tournament spots.

CSU-Pueblo Games
UNK split with CSUP, winning the second game, 6-4, and losing the first, 6-5,on Saturday afternoon.

In game one, the regionally-ranked Thunderwolves (23-11, 19-9 RMAC) scored three runs in first to jump out to an early lead. UNK would score one run in the top of the second as sophomore Dani Mowinkel (Scribner) hit her first career homer to left field.

However, Pueblo would add two more runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 5-1 lead. Outfielder Annalyse Garcia (4 for 4, three RBI's) hit a homer to center, scoring Kelly Purcell from first after she reached on a fielder's choice.

UNK would score one run off the bat of junior 3b Cassie Keck (Blair), who hit a homer to center in the fourth, and then added two runs in the seventh to finish the game's scoring.

Senior SS Kelsey Smith (Blair) went 2 for 3 with Mowinkel allowing one run in 4.2 innings of relief. 

In game two, Pueblo would again grab the early lead as they took advantage of a Loper error to score once in the third.  UNK would tie the game up in the fifth thanks to sophomore 2b Ali Seberger (Lexington) singling up the middle to bring home Smith from second.

A four-run Pueblo fifth featured three hits, including a two-run shot from C Bonita Nuanez.  UNK would use its own homers to comeback to get the win as sophomore OF Austin Wilson (McCook) and junior DP Jessie Thomas (Yutan) each hit two run homers -- both with two outs -- in the seventh.

Sophomore Kristie Hiatt (McCook) picked up the win in relief by throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

Adams State Games
The Lopers swept the Grizzlies, 5-0 and 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at CSUP's Rawlings Complex.

This time, game one would start in a different way as the Lopers would score three runs in the first, thanks to three hits, a passed ball, walk and hit batter.

The Lopers would get two more insurance runs off the bat of freshman RF Taylor Fernau (2 for 4), who hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh. Fernau's fourth homer of the spring, it scored senior CF Alissa Larsen from second after she stole her 22nd base.

Hiatt would go the distance, striking out eight, walking none and allowing seven hits.

In game two, UNK would again score the first runs of the game when Keck (11) and Thomas (5) hit back-to-back homers in the first. The Lopers would then score single runs in third and fourth innings to lead 4-0.

Adams finally broke through in the fourth when catcher Jaycee Lovato hit her eight homer of the year.

Mowinkel picked up her second win of the season, allowing one run on four hits. She also fanned five and walked two.

UNK goes on the road to take nationally-ranked Metro State next weekend.