BHSU 9, FLC 6
FLC 13, BHSU 5 (5 innings)

FARMINGTON, N.M. — Kamali'i Peneku and Kaylynn Harmon combined for three homers and nine runs batted in to lead Fort Lewis (5-8 overall, 3-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 13-5 win in five innings over Black Hills State (1-8, 1-3) in the second half of today's doubleheader at Ricketts Field #3.

The dynamic duo helped the Skyhawks salvage a split after the Yellow Jackets picked up their first win of the season and first-ever win in RMAC play in the opener, 9-6.

In the nightcap, Peneku tied a school record with two home runs — a solo shot in the second to start the scoring and a two-run round-tripper in the third to push the lead to 7-0.

Harmon hit a grand slam in the bottom of the second and had RBI singles in the fourth and the fifth innings to finish the game 3-for-4 with six RBI and three runs scored.

The Yellow Jackets managed just two baserunners — a hit and a walk — in the first three innings against FLC starting pitcher Kassie Haubert, but chased her in the fourth by rallying for five runs with two outs on a three-run homer by Lenaya Vigil and a two-run bloop triple down the right field line by the speedy Alex Huntington.

Haubert took a no-decision and worked just 3.2 innings.

Alexis Villegas (3-1) stopped the bleeding in the fourth by inducing a liner to shortstop by Kyley Barela. She allowed just one baserunner in 1.1 innings of relief and faced just four batters.

The Skyhawks pounded out 12 hits and drove in 12 runs against BHSU's Nikki Chacon (0-1) and Huntington. The Yellow Jackets committed three errors behind their pitchers.

In the opener, BHSU pitcher Katie Wagner (1-3) controlled the Skyhawks for most of the game. During the first three frames, she retired nine of 10 batters, allowing just one baserunner when she hit Skyhawk catcher Hayley Bolyard in the second.

She helped her cause by starting the scoring in the third with a leadoff homer to right field, giving BHSU a 1-0 lead — their first of the weekend.

The Skyhawks tied it on the fourth when Chelsea Rodriguez broke up the no-hitter with an infield hit and then benefitted from a pair of BHSU throwing errors later in the inning

Aggressive baserunning helped the Jackets in the fifth. After back-to-back singles put runners on the corner, a passed ball and throwing error by Bolyard allowed Karly Ackerman and Wagner to score on the same botched play. A towering two-run homer by Kelsie Chambers later in the inning pushed the lead to 6-1.

All totaled, BHSU roughed up FLC starter Olivia Bergman for five runs and five hits in the inning, sending her to the showers after 4.2 innings of work.

The Skyhawks responded in the bottom of the fifth with five runs of their own to level the score at 6-6. A bloop double to shallow centerfield by Cierra Walters started the rally. After Jordan Willis reached on a walk, Rodriguez smashed her fifth tater of the year to score three. Two batters later, Harmon tied the score with a two-run shot.

The Yellow Jackets took the lead for good on a bizarre play in the sixth. After Barela and Wagner reached base and worked their way into scoring position on a single, sacrifice bunt, walk, and stolen bases, tiny Nia Shumpert lifted a long fly ball to deep center. Skyhawk centerfielder Erica Conley leapt and crashed over the fence, but held onto the ball to record the second out. Because she went out of play, though, the runners were awarded a base each, scoring Barela. Ultimately, Conley's web gem saved a pair of runs and prevented two runs from scoring on what would have been a three-run homer for Shumpert.

Fort Lewis didn't capitalize on Conley's defensive heroics, though, and were retired in order in the sixth and had just one baserunner — Rodriguez, who was hit by a pitch — in the seventh.

Black Hills State added insurance in the top of the seventh on defensive miscues by the Skyhawks — an error by Rodriguez, a walk by reliever Stephanie Janes, and a passed ball by Bolyard. BHSU's Barela made FLC pay with a two-RBI single to right that plated the game's final two runs.

Janes (0-3), who came into the game with FLC trailing 6-1 but saw her team rally to tie the score at 6-6, took the loss.

The series was played in Farmington due to snowpack at FLC's usual home turf, Aspen Field.

Fort Lewis travels to Adams State for a four-game set next weekend. The Grizzlies are 2-5 overall, 0-3 in RMAC games prior to today's series finale at Western New Mexico. Starting times are noon and 2 p.m. next Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. next Sunday.