Written By: Durango Herald Sports Staff, Ryan Owens
April 26, 2010. Durango, CO. - With the top four teams in each division qualifying for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason tournament, Fort Lewis College, the fourth-place team in the West Division, began its last home doubleheader as a team poised to qualify for the playoffs.
Before the twin bill, the Skyhawks held a two-game advantage in the win column over their closest competitor.
They ended Sunday, however, on the outside looking in.
The Skyhawks were swept by Adams State 12-0 (five innings) and 5-3 on Sunday at Aspen Field, and in the process, ASC finished the day with two fewer losses than FLC. The Grizzlies (12-19, 11-18 RMAC) have six games remaining to FLC's four, and all of Adams State's games are at home, while FLC travels next weekend to play N.M. Highlands.
Losing three of four this weekend has put FLC (15-25, 14-19 RMAC) in a position to do more scoreboard watching than the Skyhawks would have liked.
“We did not take care of business, and when you don't at home, it's going to make everything else 10 times tougher," FLC head coach Pam Adams said.
Errors and unearned runs continued to plague the Skyhawks in Game 1. Five FLC errors led to five of the 12 Adams State runs, and the fourth inning provided the defining blow.
Trailing just 3-0, Fort Lewis and pitcher Kassie Haubert allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits and two errors in the fourth, ending the frame down 9-0.
The worst part of the six-run Grizzlies' outburst was FLC had recorded two outs before a run scored. But a Rebecca Lindquist three-run homer simply opened the floodgates, and the two errors didn't help matters.
“Unearned runs always hurt, no matter if you're up by 10 or down by 10," Adams said. “Anything you give an opponent … it's going to come back to bite you."
“Mentally, it hurt us a lot because it kind of brought everyone down," senior Amanda Willmon said.
By contrast, Adams State starter Ashley Pohl was sharp, throwing a complete game shutout in a game shortened to five innings because of the run rule. Pohl allowed just three hits and walked none, facing just three batters more than the minimum.
Creating more errors than hits is far from a recipe for success. Adams said Pohl made that recipe a reality with location and movement.
“When we went to the plate, we were overaggressive," she said. “She was throwing breaking stuff, and we were out in front of everything. We hit it; it was just clunkers."
Jaycee Lovato was 2-for-3 with a homer and three runs scored for Adams State, and Lindquist added another two-run homer in the fifth to end the game with five RBIs.
The second game saw the Skyhawks jump out to a much better start. After spotting the Grizzlies a 2-0 first-inning lead, FLC answered with a two-run homer from Ashley Hibbs and a solo shot by Kayla Bruner to take a 3-2 lead off Pohl, who returned to the mound for one inning in Game 2.
Unfortunately, the Skyhawks would muster just three more hits over the next six innings off reliever and winning pitcher Sarah Lindquist, who successfully attempted to jam several FLC hitters along the way.
“I think it was just honestly our mental game," Willmon said. “(Lindquist) beat us a little (Friday) when she pitched against us … we should have focused on what was (Saturday) and not (Friday)."
A Pohl RBI single in the second tied the game at three off eventual losing pitcher Stephanie Janes. Selina Pacheco drove home the winning and insurance runs with RBI singles in the third and seventh innings.
Bruner's 2-for-2 output in Game 2 was the only multi-hit showing by an FLC player in either game.
The pressure now falls on a scuffling Skyhawk team to try to clinch a berth on the road against Highlands, the West Division's cellar dweller, without Willmon, the team's only senior, who will miss the games to attend her graduation.
Even then, FLC still will need help to get into the postseason tournament, with the Grizzlies holding a two-game edge in the loss column.
Fortunately for FLC, Adams State plays West Division leader CSU-Pueblo twice Tuesday. Still, it's not an enviable position to be in, and the Skyhawks know they let a golden chance get away.
“We didn't play well enough to win," Adams said. “We didn't hit well enough, and we didn't play defense well enough."
But for now, the Skyhawks will have to collect themselves and focus on cashing in their last chance to play extra softball.
“They're probably the most important games of our year, considering we have to win all four," Willmon said.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
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