Game one box score
Game two box score
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Fort Lewis College softball team (2-5 overall, 1-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) split a doubleheader with UC-Colorado Springs (4-7, 1-1) Saturday at Mountain Lion Field. The Mountain Lions prevailed 8-5 in the first game, with the Skyhawks winning 9-6 in eight innings in the nightcap.
“I'm really proud with how they battled back in the eighth inning to shut the game down,” said first-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter of her team's efforts in the second game.
The Skyhawks built a 2-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to a leadoff walk and stolen base by Jordan Willis. Cierra Walters doubled in Willis and later scored on a Hayley Bolyard single.
Fort Lewis stretched the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Bolyard led off with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Joanna Young.
The Skyhawks extended the lead to 6-1 in the fifth, stringing together three doubles by Chelsea Rodriguez, Kayla Bruner and Natalie Janes and an RBI single by Young.
The Mountain Lions forced extra innings with a big seventh, plating four runs on three hits while benefitting from an error and two wild pitches. Skyhawk starter Alyse Harris (0-2), in a quest for her first collegiate victory, surrendered four runs in the frame, three of which were unearned. She was lifted for reliever Kassie Haubert (2-2), who got the final two outs but did surrender a walk and plated an unearned run on a wild pitch.
The Skyhawks took care of business immediately once extra innings began. Young led off with a single, advancing to second on a fielding error. Two batters later, Erica Conley bunted for a single, moving Young to third. Willis had an RBI sacrifice fly to right field that was botched by UCCS' Tahnea Leeling, scoring Young. Rodriguez took care of the rest with a two-run single up the middle.
Haubert threw a spotless eighth to retire the Mountain Lions in order, inducing three straight ground balls to pick up her second win of the season.
“Kassie did a nice job coming in,” said Zeiter.
Rodriguez was the offensive hero, registering three hits and driving in two. Fort Lewis finished the game with 14 hits, including five doubles.
In the first game, the Skyhawks found their power game, with Bruner smashing her second homer of the season, Walters hitting her first tater, and Willis belting a pair of doubles.
Fort Lewis built early leads of 1-0 in the first and 3-2 in the second, but couldn't hold the lead. Haubert started the first game, but only lasted three innings before being lifted for reliever Stephanie Janes (0-1). Janes pitched the last three innings, giving up four runs to suffer the loss.
All of the damage against her was done in the fourth, when the Mountain Lions had four hits, three walks and a sacrifice fly. Caitlin Connelly hit a three-run double to provide all the offense UCCS would need.
The only run FLC could muster in their final three innings was Bruner's long ball to left center. The Skyhawks left five runners on base in the last three frames.
“I was really proud with how they battled throughout the day,” said Zeiter.
The teams conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader today at Mountain Lion Field. Game times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
