Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team is still alive for an RMAC Tournament berth after a split with Colorado-Colorado Springs, 3-6 and 3-0, Saturday afternoon at Dryden Park.

In game one, UCCS (16-30, 13-24 RMAC) scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings to shut out the Lopers (13-28, 12-19). Freshman Jenna Mott threw a complete game three-hitter to move to 8-6 on the season.

UCCS started  the game off with a single by DP Landry Davis. On the next play, 2b Lara Mathewson (2 for 3) hit a double to right field that advanced Davis to third. Trying to catch the ball was freshman RF Taylor Fernau (Blair), who was injured when she collided with the fence. She didn't return to action but did come back to the field.

With two down, junior CF Amanda Hathaway (2 for 3) hit a run scoring single. Solo home runs from Hathaway, in the fourth, and Mathewson, in the third, would then give the Lions two insurance runs.

In the loss, sophomore Dani Mowinkel (Logan View) went the distance, allowing just five hits while striking out nine Lions.

In game two, the Lopers bats exploded for six runs on seven hits. UNK scored two runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings to pick up a key victory.

UCCS would again score the first runs of the game  as they had three hits and took advantage of an error to score two in the second.

UNK would respond in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own, thanks to a home run by Austin Wilson (McCook) and a UCCS error that allowed sophomore LF Mallory Nutt (Cozad) to score.

The Mountain Lions would take a short lived lead in the fourth as Davis had an RBI single to center. UNK took the lead for good when junior DP Jessie Thomas (Yutan) hit a two-run dinger, her seventh of the season, in the fifth.

A two-run homer from sophomore 2b Ali Seberger (Lexington), her first of the year, brought home two more in the sixth.

Sophomore Kirstie Hiatt (McCook) earned the win by allowing one earned run over six innings while freshman Becky Dunn (Papillion) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the save. 

UNK takes on UCCS in a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11 a.m.