The Trinidad State softball team took to the road this past weekend for a four-game set in Kansas and returned with three more victories, moving their overall record to 21-8 on the season. The Trojans took a pair of games from Garden City Community College in Garden City on Sunday and then split on Monday afternoon in Liberal against Seward County Community College.
If you enjoy a hitting barrage, with a bunch of runs crossing the plate, Sunday was a good day to be at the park. The Trojans took six more long balls over the fence and put 20 runs on the board in the two games. Game one, a 7-2 win, saw Lauren Bending score three times with homeruns from Elizabeth Aguilar, Samantha Glover and Isabella Navarro providing the punch. Jessica Salbato went the distance, striking out a pair to pick up the win in the circle.
Demi Madalena picked up her eighth win of the season in game two, striking out five over seven innings of work in the 13-7 win. Navarro went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, four RBI's and her 15th homerun of the year to spur the offense. Courtney Vigil continued to swing a big bat going 3-for-4 with a double and a homerun. Megan Cosslett also went yard for the third time this season.
Pitching was the word of the day on Monday with a strong wind keeping the ball in play. Salbato was up to the task for the Lady Trojans. The sophomore right-hander from Wheat Ridge, Colo. picked up her 11th win and moved her ERA to 1.91 as she tossed a near perfect game against Seward County. The only base runners the Saints could muster reached on a walk and a pair of errors by the Trojan defense as Salbato tossed the first no-hitter of her college career. Olivia Muniz hit a solo homerun and Chelsey Runyon had an RBI single to provide the Trojans just enough offense for the 2-0 win.
In the final game of the weekend, Seward jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. The Trojans chipped away, scoring runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, but it was not enough as they fell 4-3. Runyon provided a spark for the Trojan offense with a pair of doubles.
The Trojans remain tied atop the Region IX standings with Western Nebraska with identical 8-2 region records. TSJC will be off this weekend and then return to the field for a six-game set in Nebraska for two against North Platte (8-19) and four with region foe McCook (15-13) on the first weekend in April.