DURANGO, CO - March 30, 2008 - The Fort Lewis College softball team won the last two of their four games against Western New Mexico this weekend and completed their first four-game home-sweep since April of 2004. The Skyhawks took game one 4-0 and the second by a score of 7-4. The Skyhawks improve to 12-16-1 overall and 9-9-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), while the Mustangs fall to 14-21 overall and 10-14 in conference play.
Cary Moone (Waterflow, NM/Georgia Southern) pitched the first game shutout and ended the second game with a save recording her third win and second save of the weekend. She threw another nine strikeouts adding to her weekend total of 24. In her four appearances the junior transfer allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits, walked just four batters and didn't allow a multi-base hit.
In game one on Saturday Amber Massey (Rifle, CO/Rifle) hit a solo homerun to right center field to start the Skyhawk scoring rally in the bottom of the fifth. The Skyhawks secured the victory with three more in the bottom of the sixth as Moone retired three of four batters faced in the final inning.
Massey went 1-for-3 in the game with the lone RBI and run, while Stevie Benedict (Hillsboro, OR/College of the Siskiyous) went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a pair of RBI. In left field Benedict also grabbed three important put outs in game one on Sunday.
In the second game the Skyhawks took control of the game right from the start. They scored four runs in the opening inning and added another in each of the next two. The Mustangs starting crawling back in to the game with two runs in the top of the third inning, but the Skyhawks put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-2 lead into the final three innings. The fifth and sixth innings were quiet with no runners coming home, but the Mustangs started a rally in the top of the seventh with the lead-off batter knocking one over the fence. The second batter walked and the third doubled to left center putting two runners in scoring position and the tying run ond eck. Moone enter the game sealed the victory for the Skyhawks with a line out, a strikeout and a ground out.
Seven Skyhawks recorded at least one hit in the second game, including Jenna Peters (Pinole, CA/Diablo Valley) who went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Felicia Cruz (Phoenix, AZ/Glendale CC) went 2-for-4 also with a RBI and run scored.
Mary Oppenhein (Bountiful, UT/Garden City CC) started the second game and pitched three innings for the Skyhawks. She allowed no earned runs on four hits and recorded the win, while Moone recorded her second save of the weekend.
The Skyhawks return to action in on Thursday at 1 p.m. when they host Mesa State College in a double header.
Game One - Box Score
Game Two - Box Score
