Chadron State's pitching went toe-to-toe with Colorado Christian's elite staff during the first two games of an RMAC doubleheader on Friday, but the offense couldn't break through as CSC suffered 5-1 and 1-0 losses to the Cougars. 

The Eagles received strong outings from Kenzi Garner, who pitched six innings without allowing an earned run in game two, and Tori Haug, who also held the Cougars scoreless for four innings in the opener, but both starters were hit with unlucky losses. 

The results drop Chadron State down to 9-19 overall and 5-17 in the RMAC. The Eagles are currently in ninth place out of 12 teams in the league standings. Colorado Christian, which currently leads the RMAC, improved to 24-8 overall and 20-2 in conference play. 

Much of that illustrious record for CCU is thanks to a Cougars pitching staff with a team ERA that sits at 2.04 after Friday's action, over a full run better than any other RMAC team. The Cougar pitchers held up their end of the bargain, holding the Eagle offense to just one run on eight hits over the course of the day. 

But Chadron State's arms also answered the call against a Cougar lineup which ranks third in the RMAC in batting average. Haug retired the first seven CCU hitters she faced and held the Cougars scoreless through four innings while giving up just three hits in that span.

Colorado Christian put together a big inning in the fifth. With two outs and a runner on first, the Cougars hit five consecutive singles, frequently advancing on the throw to put runners in scoring position and continue the cycle. By the time Belle Akins relieved Haug on the mound and retired the first hitter she faced, it was 5-0, CCU. 

The Eagles had only managed one hit through five innings against CCU starter Elyse McMullin, but answered in the sixth with a leadoff single by Aliyah Rothstein and a one-out double from Lauren Zimmerman to score the runner. Despite a one-out single in the seventh, however, that would be all for the CSC offense as game one ended 5-1.

The second game saw CCU throw Emma Duncan, who entered the day with a league-best 1.54 ERA and .205 opposing batting average. Duncan was excellent, allowing just three hits in six shutout innings, but Garner matched her zero-for-zero for most of the game. 

Garner worked out of jams, as the senior never had a 1-2-3 inning, but scattered eight hits and two walks and got nearly every third out she needed. 

The lone run of the game was unearned. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Garner coaxed a ground ball to third baseman Lauren Zimmerman, who stepped on the bag for the force out, but her potential double-play throw to first was errant, allowing runners to advance to second and third. The lead runner scored on a sacrifice fly by the next batter.

The Eagles and Cougars will resume their four-game series this Saturday at All-Star Park in Lakewood. First pitch Saturday is set for 11 a.m.