IRVINE, Calif. - The Eagles continued their hot start by keeping Montana State University Billings under control in Tuesday's home doubleheader and improving to 7-0 on the young season.

Playing their first two games back on their actual home field after winning the 2022 Concordia Kickoff Classic at nearby Great Park, the Eagles received strong pitching from four of their hurlers and the offense seemed to get better as each game developed.

Megan Massa extended her hitting streak to seven games as she recorded a pair of multi-hit outings. She is now batting a whopping .435 to start this season.

Sydney Sprinkle also returned to the lineup Tuesday after sitting out a couple games this past weekend nursing an injury that occurred in the season opener. It was a triumphant return as she made her presence felt in the heart of the CUI lineup with three hits on the day and 5 RBI.

"Megan is just a hitting machine," said CUI head softball coach Crystal Rosenthal. "She gives you a hit a game and it's great having Sprinkle back. She gives us that power and I thought overall just a much better offensive performance (from the whole team). Jasmine Gorman got her first college hit which was awesome and we ran the bases really, really well in the second game so that's what I was most proud of."

Game 1: No. 10 CUI 5, MSUB 1

Massa opened the game with a single and double in her first two at-bats to set the tone. She scored the game's first run on a RBI groundout by shortstop Rylie Rohr.

Her extra-base hit in the second scored Michalah Robison who had worked a walk just a couple minutes earlier.  CUI led MSUB 2-0 after two innings but was just getting started.

The Eagles scored three more runs in the fifth inning.  The surge included a RBI single by Sprinkle that gave the Eagles some breathing room after MSUB had cut the lead to just 2-1.

Freshman outfielder Kayla Simpson later poked a RBI double to right field that inning to plate Missy Nemeth and round out the scoring.

Erika Morris (1-0) cruised through five innings and only allowed a solo home run in the fourth inning to the No. 3 hole hitter for the Jackets.

Madison Urrutia entered for the final two frames and did her job as well. She only allowed one hit and struck out two to preserve the victory.


Game 2: No. 10 CUI 10, MSUB 2

Sydney Sprinkle was locked in at the plate in game two against the Yellow Jackets. She belted a two-run homer over the left field wall in the bottom of the second inning to put CUI up 4-0.

Then with the Eagles up 7-0 in the fourth she lifted a pitch high into the sky and deposited it again over the fence in impressive fashion for a solo shot.

Outfielder Lauren Lopez swiped three bases in game two to move into the Top 10 in career steals in CUI softball history. 

Freshman Jasmine Gorman also had her first career hit as an Eagle after scoring as a pinch-runner back in game one. Designated Player Danielle Michaels added her first hit of the year.

Starting pitcher Katlin Entrup improved to 3-0 by pitching four strong innings. She only allowed two runs on a homer by MSUB infielder Alexis Tovar.  Rae Flores entered late in the game to relieve Entrup and finish out a solid day by the CUI pitching staff.

"We did a good job on the mound," said Rosenthal. "We don't give up a ton of runs and we did enough to win in game one, but I thought overall we played much better in game two."

The Eagles head to the Desert Stinger Tournament later this week for five games in three days starting on Friday, Feb. 11. This tournament will be held in Surprise, Arizona and is being hosted by Montana State Billings.

CLICK HERE for the updated CUI softball schedule