Kearney, Neb. - The Nebraska-Kearney softball team won the first, 3-1, and last, 8-3, games of an RMAC series this weekend against Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colo.

The Lopers (7-13, 7-7 RMAC) fell 9-4 and 4-1 to the Mavericks (12-9, 10-6 RMAC) in the other two games. Mesa, a 2010 NCAA Tournament participant, was the league's preseason favorite.

In the series finale, Bennington freshman Bailey Backhuus earned her first win as a collegiate pitcher by allowing no earned runs over five full innings. McCook junior Kirstie Hiatt followed Backhuus by throwing two scoreless innings to pick up a rare save.

UNK erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring five times in the second and then tacking on three more runs in the top of the seventh. The big fifth inning included five Loper hits and back-to-back bases loaded walks by the Mesa pitching staff. These were the only two base on balls UNK drew the entire contest.

For the game, senior SS Cassie Keck (Blair) went 2 for 4, freshman OF Emily Mierau went 2 for 3 from the leadoff spot and junior OF Austin Wilson belted her first homer of the spring.

In Saturday's first game, Hiatt won her sixth game of 2011 by throwing a complete game five-hitter. Working around six walks, she fanned two and allowed just one earned run.

UNK scored all three of its runs, on four hits, in the top of the third. With no outs and the bases loaded, senior DP Jessie Thomas (Yutan) brought home a run with a single to center. Junior 2b Ali Seberger (Lexington) followed with a sac fly and then freshman 3b Sarah Rome (Blair) hit an RBI single to left.

Mesa came back in the nightcap as senior cleanup hitter Gabriella Parra went 4 for 4 with four runs and four RBI's. She hit a pair of homers with teammate Sara Jordan belting a three-run shot in the first.

Mierau (3 for 4) and Keck (2 for 4, two runs two RBI) led the Lopers with Keck hitting her 12th dinger of the year in the fifth.

In Sunday's first game, Jordan moved to 7-2 as she tossed a complete game five-hitter. Fanning four and walking two, she gave up two hits in the third, one being an RBI single from Keck.

Hiatt no hit the Mavs for the first five innings before they erupted in the sixth, scoring four times on the strength of two hits, one Loper error, a hit batter, a walk and wild pitch. Dropping to 6-8, Hiatt went the distance again, allowing three earned on those two hits and a walk.

UNK is at Wayne State Tuesday and then hosts UCCS next weekend.