CONROE, Tex. – Chadron State softball came up short in its first two games of the 2026 season, falling 9-1 in five innings to Saint Martin's and 10-2 in six innings to Texas A&M-International, both on Friday as part of the DII First Pitch Invitational in Texas. 

The Eagles scored one run in the third inning in the opener against SMU, then had single runs in the second and third innings against TAMIU. Both opposing offenses got going early, as the Eagles trailed by five runs after three innings in each game.

The Eagles received one solo home run in each contest. Albion, Nebraska native Payton Sullivan, a true freshman, swatted a home run in her first collegiate at-bat to provide the CSC offense in game one before Yavapai College transfer Charley Pitrat went yard in game two. 

Across both games, four Eagle players recorded two hits apiece on the day – Sullivan, Pitrat, Elizabeth Thorngren and Brogan Allen. Chadron State recorded five hits in each game for a total of 10.

Chadron State split pitching duties evenly between two hurlers in both games. Sophomore Belle Akins pitched in both and totaled 5.1 innings, allowing seven earned runs with three strikeouts. Freshmen Brynn Trujillo (2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER) and McKenna Sides (3 IP, 9 H, 4 ER) made their collegiate debuts in the circle. 

Of the 20 players on the Eagle roster, 17 made an appearance during one or both of Friday's games. 

Against Saint Martin's, a team that would go on to upset No. 1-ranked UT Tyler later in the day, Akins received the start and gave up three home runs before giving way to Trujillo with one out in the third inning and the Eagles trailing 6-1. 

Trujillo recorded the final two outs sandwiched around a double to end the threat, recorded her first strikeout and held the Saints scoreless in the fourth before allowing three runs in the fifth as Saint Martin's reached the eight-run margin to end the game early. 

Sides got the starting nod against Texas A&M-International. Eagle errors did not help the cause, as seven runs crossed the plate on nine hits over Sides's three innings, but only four were earned. Akins came on in relief and allowed three runs (only one earned) on just four hits in three innings of work. 

Offensively against the Dustdevils, CSC scored in the second when Elizabeth Thorngren doubled, advanced to third when TAMIU bobbled an Elia DeLozier ground ball for an error and then scored on a Tiffani Mein safety squeeze sacrifice bunt. Pitrat then homered to lead off the third, but that only cut the margin to 7-2.