THATCHER, AZ — The College of Southern Nevada's Lady Coyotes faced a tough start to their four-game series against the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters on Friday, falling 11-1 in a game that highlighted the challenges of ACCAC conference play. This loss in Thatcher, Arizona, shifted CSN to a 16-14 overall record and 12-5 in the conference.

From the onset, Eastern Arizona established dominance, putting up two runs in the first inning while capitalizing on errors and aggressive base running. CSN's pitcher Mckenna Cahoon struggled to contain the Gila Monsters, who piled on six runs in the fourth inning alone, effectively putting the game out of reach early.

Eastern's Taylor Christensen was particularly devastating, driving in six runs highlighted by a three-run homer in the fifth inning that sealed the fate of the game. Gianna Villegas and T Horsley also made significant contributions for the Gila Monsters, combining for five hits and sparking the rallies that defined the game.

CSN managed only a solitary run in the fifth inning when Chaleah Workman scored on a groundout by Camryn Hunkins. Despite the effort, the Lady Coyotes could not overcome the early deficit or the defensive mishaps, including two errors by Workman and one by shortstop Mariela Rodriguez, which contributed to several unearned runs.

Destanee Nez, starting pitcher for Eastern, pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out three, earning her first win of the season. Her performance was a stark contrast to the challenges faced by Cahoon, who surrendered 11 runs, though only five were earned, over her outing.

As the Lady Coyotes prepare for the remainder of the series, they will need to tighten their defense and find ways to generate more offense if they hope to rebound from this challenging start in conference play. The next game in the series will be crucial as CSN looks to even the score and regain their footing in the ACCAC standings.