GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Once again, it was the Regis Rangers that stole the show on Friday, May 3, at the 2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Tournament and stayed red hot to advance to Saturday’s championship game. Metropolitan State University of Denver won two elimination games, including knocking off top-seeded Colorado Mesa, to remain in the hunt for the tournament crown.
#1 Colorado Mesa 4, #6 CSU Pueblo 2
The Mavericks staved off elimination in the morning matchup, aided by an Ava Fugate three-run homerun in the sixth inning that was the decider. Colorado State University Pueblo broke open the scoring in the fifth game between them and CMU in Grand Junction, Colo. over the last 10 days. The ThunderWolves held a 2-1 lead going into the sixth inning, before Fugate’s go-ahead blast changed things. McKenna James held the Mavs in check for most of the morning, only allowing them to score once in their last 11 innings. The conference Pitcher of the Year, Preslee Christensen, bounced back from a rough outing to go the distance in this one and keep the Mavs tournament hopes alive.
#3 MSU Denver 14, #4 Colorado School of Mines 0 (F/5 inn.)
An eight-run fourth inning secured a short, run-rule victory for the Roadrunners in their first elimination game of the day. Catcher Jaden Geist stood out for MSU Denver, leaving the yard twice in back-to-back at-bats. Geist also made arguably the best defensive play of the day, snagging a foul popup on a dive behind home plate. However, it was Genevieve Bower’s three-run blast that cemented the game from the get-go and highlighted a five-run opening frame. Maddy Wilson and Cheyenne Prieto combined for a one-hitter and allowed just four Orediggers to reach base. The Roadrunners moved into a win-or-go-home showdown against the host Mavericks later on Friday.
#5 Regis 7, #2 Colorado Christian 4
CMU Softball Field was treated to an absolute classic in the winner’s bracket championship game, especially with late-game fireworks from the Rangers. Trailing 4-2 entering the seventh, Regis sent 11 batters to the plate, was helped by two crucial Cougar errors and scored five runs to take the lead and have some insurance. The lead and insurance runs came in one swing of the bat as Sydney Young left the ballpark with a three-run homer that erupted the strong assembled crowd of Rangers fans. Kylie Harpman was once again brilliant for Regis, went the distance, retired the final four Cougar hitters she faced and earned win number two in as many days. The top three of CCU’s order combined for all four of their runs, while the rest of the lineup stayed silent. Regis sits in the driver’s seat for Saturday’s championship game, staying undefeated and must be beaten twice to lose the coveted crown.
#3 MSU Denver 6, #1 Colorado Mesa 5
Both squads played for their tournament lives in Friday’s final matchup and needed a win to move to Saturday’s action. For the first time in this year’s tournament, Colorado Mesa scored first off Myah Arrieta’s solo shot to left field. It didn’t take long for the Roadrunners to respond, taking the lead with homers from Miki Berg and Aaliyah Arellano. Through three innings, the game was all square. MSU Denver changed that in about 30 minutes, putting up a four-run fourth courtesy of consecutive run-scoring hits from Hannah DiFabio and Shelby Robb. The combination of Wilson and Prieto took center stage to finish this one after CMU’s Chloe Valdez launched a three-run home run of her own. Prieto worked around two walks in the seventh to officially close this one out and knock out the regular season champions.
A minimum of two games and a maximum of three games are set for the final day of play at the 2024 RMAC Softball Tournament on Saturday, May 4. The Roadrunners and Cougars face off at 11 a.m. MT to determine who will face Regis in the championship game. The title game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., while an if-necessary, winner-take-all game is set for 4 p.m. That if-necessary will be played should the Rangers lose the game prior. Saturday’s games are available live on the RMAC Network for the price of $9.95 per day pass. Live stats, tournament bracket, tournament merchandise and more information can be found on the 2024 RMAC Softball Tournament
page.
2024 RMAC Softball Tournament Bracket
Day 1:
Game 1 –
No. 5 Regis 4, No. 4 Colorado School of Mines 2
Game 2 –
No. 3 MSU Denver 6, No. 6 CSU Pueblo 5 (8 inn.)
Game 3 –
No. 5 Regis 8, No. 1 Colorado Mesa 0
Game 4 –
No. 2 Colorado Christian 18, No. 3 MSU Denver 5 (5 inn.)
Day 2:
Game 5 –
No. 1 Colorado Mesa 4, No. 6 CSU Pueblo 2
Game 6 –
No. 3 MSU Denver 14, No. 4 Colorado School of Mines 0 (5 inn.)
Game 7 –
No. 5 Regis 7, No. 2 Colorado Christian 4
Game 8 –
No. 3 MSU Denver 6, No. 1 Colorado Mesa 5
Day 3:
Game 9 – No. 2 Colorado Christian vs. No. 3 MSU Denver – 11 a.m. MT
Game 10 – Winner of Game 9 vs. No. 5 Regis – 1:30 p.m. MT
Game 11 (if necessary) – Winner of Game 10 vs. Loser of Game 10 – 4 p.m. MT