Written By: Durango Herald Sports Staff
March 1, 2010. Grand Junction, CO. - Fort Lewis College came alive in the sixth inning of Game 1, and the bats kept swinging to contact in a marquee softball split Sunday afternoon at Mesa State in Grand Junction.
“That sixth inning, the kids exploded for five runs," Skyhawks coach Pam Adams said. “They never looked back."
FLC tied Game 1 with five runs in the top of the sixth inning, then surrendered a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh to lose 6-5.
FLC rallied for a 3-2 victory in Game 2 against the 22nd-ranked team in Division II softball. That's the second victory against a nationally ranked opponent this season. FLC upset No. 4 Dixie State 4-2 on Feb. 15 at the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas.
“We've been close," Adams said, referring to the Skyhawks' narrow run differential in their 2-5 overall record. “In Vegas, they were all close. We're just right there. We really haven't had the time or the workouts yet, and once we do, the better we'll get."
FLC started its 2010 spring season with a 1-4 mark at the tournament in Las Vegas. It started its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season with an all-important split against the preseason West Division favorites.
Mesa State jumped to a 2-0 lead after the first inning and a 5-0 lead after five.
Fort Lewis answered with a five-run sixth to tie Game 1 at 5-all.
Amanda Willmon, Chelena Coulston, Ashley Hibbs and Kassie Haubert had runs batted in in the frame.
Gabriella Parra, however, delivered the game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh for the Mavericks.
Fort Lewis grabbed the early lead in Game 2, a 2-0 advantage after Stephanie Janes' two-RBI single up the middle in the second inning.
Mesa State tied it with two runs in the sixth, and FLC regained a one-run lead on Hibbs' RBI single in the top of seven.
Haubert pitched a perfect frame in the bottom of the seventh to earn the complete-game victory. She allowed two runs - none earned - on five hits and walked two and struck out four.
Brooke Bails led the Skyhawks' offense with three of their 10 hits in Game 2.
“The more we play, the more consistent we'll be," Adams said.
FLC (2-5 overall, 1-1 RMAC) will play a pair of RMAC doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at Nebraska-Kearney before playing its home openers March 10 against Mesa State at Aspen Field on the FLC campus.
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
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