June 30, 2025
By Jack Carlough
LOVELAND, Colo. — Many of the country’s top college softball players converged at Loveland’s Barnes Complex on Monday for a star-studded matchup between TC Colorado and the New York Rise.
As part of the inaugural TC Colorado Pro Cup Fastpitch event, TC Colorado rode its pitching and some timely hitting to a 6-1 win over the Long Island-based New York Rise. TC Colorado head coach Dave King was pleased with both the win and the opportunity to showcase top college/post-college players.
“The game for women, not young players, not college players, is starting to try to find its way,” King said. “You see a ton of talent out here right now. The team we just beat, the New York Rise, I would gladly have a bunch of those kids. In fact, two of them have played for me before. What you're seeing is that the level of play is very watchable.”
While professional softball’s big picture success stands out as an important goal, King was also pleased to see his TC Colorado team rise to the challenge on Monday, particularly in the circle. Starting pitcher Ruby Meylan and relievers Maddia Groff, Samantha Lincoln and Jessica Mullins allowed only four hits on the afternoon while striking out eight and walking two. The lone blemish came in the second inning when Meylan allowed a solo homer to Rise first baseman Karli Spaid, a former star at Miami (Ohio).
“Most of the games that are won in this sport are won by pitching,” King said. “We had four pitchers rotate through with four different looks. They all did their job. From Meylan starting to Maddia Groff and on to Sam Lincoln, the big lefty. And then Jess Mullins was really special at the end.”
Offensively, the two squads traded home runs in the second with New York’s Spaid and TC Colorado’s Jackie Lis each going deep to left field. Then in the third, TC Colorado took a 4-1 lead following a two-run single from Alexis Pupillo and a run-scoring single from Lis, who plays her college ball at Southern Illinois. University of South Carolina power hitter Arianna Rodi later homered in the fifth, and Duke’s Jessica Oakland ripped an RBI double in the sixth to give TC Colorado ample insurance.
Fresh off a 17-home run season at South Carolina, Rodi said she was simply trying to put her best swing on a hittable pitch.
“I just wanted to go up there and be aggressive,” Rodi said. “I saw a good pitch the first pitch and just had to get a good swing off it. I knew she was throwing more up in the zone, so I had to be on time and get on top of it. Luckily, that happened.”
New York received four innings from Chenise Delce in the circle before giving Laurin Krings a special opportunity to pitch in front of friends and family in her hometown. A two-time Gatorade Colorado Softball Player of the Year at Loveland High School, Krings hurled three innings on a field she grew up playing on.
“I didn't think I would be playing back on this field since high school,” said Krings, who starred at the University of Missouri. “It feels rewarding, like a whole circle from where I started. My first time ever picking up a softball was over there on Barnes No. 5. So it's a crazy moment to think about.”
On Tuesday, TC Colorado will face the OKC Spark at 10 a.m. and the Florida Vibe at 2 p.m. New York is set to challenge the Vibe at 10 a.m. and the Spark at 2 p.m. All games are at the Triple Crown Sports Complex in Fort Collins.
