PHOENIX, Ariz. – Facing a tough Phoenix College Bears team that boasts a No. 1 ranking in NJCAA Division II and defending champion honors, the No. 2-ranked Yavapai College softball team left Phoenix, Arizona, with a split, falling 2-1 in game one and emerging victorious 9-2 in game two. 

For the Roughriders, their 19-game winning streak is snapped, however, they still own a sparkling 21-2 record and 13-1 conference record. 

Game One
The scoring summary was pretty simple in game one: freshman infielder Makena Riggs led the top of the third inning off with a home run and the Bears responded with a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning. 

Those runs proved to be the final score of 2-1 as sophomore pitcher Emily Dix and Phoenix's Brianna Hardy engaged in an epic pitcher's duel. Dix tossed six innings, struck out eight and allowed just four hits with the lone blemish being the aforementioned two-run homer. Hardy threw all seven, allowed just two hits (including Riggs' homer) and struck out 11. Dix and Hardy each walked three as well. 

At the plate, sophomore outfielder Mia Weckel tallied the other Roughrider hit in game one. 

Game Two
The Roughriders didn't hang their heads after the narrow game-one loss and rebounded quickly with a 9-2 victory in game two. 

Freshman pitcher Emily Darwin tossed all seven innings in the win, struck out three and allowed just six hits and two runs (none of which were earned). 

With Darwin cruising, the Roughrider offense went to work in the top of the third inning with Riggs leading the frame off with a solo homer (again) to tie the game at 1-1. 

Freshman catcher Ashley Fields followed the longball with a walk and Weckel followed with a double to put runners on second and third with one out. Sophomore outfielder Kayla Rodgers then gave the Riders a 2-1 lead, one which they would not surrender, with a single to center. 

Freshman infielder Yaya Kaaialii followed Rodgers with a walk to load the bases and was followed by an RBI single off the bat of fellow freshman infielder Lovey Kepa'a for a 3-1 lead. Freshman catcher Jasmine Moreno walked after Kepa'a to extend the lead to 4-1 in favor of YC. 

In the top of the sixth, Moreno and Fields both launched solo homers to balloon the YC advantage to 6-1. In the top of the seventh, the Roughriders extended the lead to 9-1 on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore infielder Cheyenne Sandoval and two-RBI single off the bat of Weckel. 

The Bears scratched a run across in the bottom of the seventh to bring the final score to 9-2 in favor of the Roughriders. 

Offensively, Rodgers, Moreno and Riggs all had two hits while Weckel, Kepa'a, Sandoval, Fields and freshman outfielder Sierra Griego all had one. 

Up Next
The Roughriders get a week off and will be back on the softball field on Tuesday, March 8, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they will face the Scottsdale Community College Artichokes. Game one's first pitch is set for 1 p.m.