FLC 7, CSUP 6
CSUP 5, FLC 0

DURANGO, Colo. — Erica Conley hit a two-out, two-run, walk-off triple to lift Fort Lewis (18-13 overall, 16-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 7-6, come-from-behind win over Colorado State-Pueblo (14-8, 12-6) in the first game of today's doubleheader at Aspen Field.

In the nightcap, CSUP's Justine Bosio (8-2) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning en route to a 5-0 shutout win over the Skyhawks. FLC's Chelsea Rodriguez broke up the no-no with one out in the seventh when she smoked a double off the fence in left center.

“We had nice pitching performances all day,” said second-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter. “In game two, we did not get on the roll with the bats like we did in game one, but it was nice to see the clutch hit in the seventh by Erica. Those close wins are nice, feel-good, team wins.”

The ThunderWolves jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first of the opener when Marissa Reyes blasted a two-run shot over the fence in deep center. CSUP added one more in the second and two in the third to take a 5-0 lead before the Skyhawks had even registered their first hit of the day.

Fort Lewis put together a big inning in the bottom of the third to close the gap to 5-4. Conley reached on an error by Bosio, who played first base in game one. A double by Destinee DeHererra plated Conley. Kamali'i Peneku, Natalie Janes, and Stephanie Janes also hit RBI singles in the frame, as FLC belted five hits in the inning.

The ThunderWolves added a run in the fourth when Ariel Lopez hit an RBI single down the left field line, but the Skyhawks answered when Peneku walked home a run the bases loaded to cut the lead to 6-5.

After Peneku led off the bottom of the seventh with a ground out, the Janes twins each singled to put the tying and go-ahead runs aboard. After pinch hitter Myndee Thompson fouled out to left, CSU-Pueblo brought their outfielders in on the usually soft-hitting Conley. The Skyhawks' No. 9 hitter lifted a deep fly ball to right center that one-hopped into the fence, well over the head of CSUP's Lindsay Marmolejo for the walk-off triple that capped a five-run comeback.

Stephanie Janes (2-4) worked the final three innings of scoreless relief, allowing just a pair of hits to keep the FLC close. Starter Kassie Haubert allowed six runs on eight hits through four innings.

DeHerrera went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI in the opener. Stephanie Janes was 3-for-4 with an RBI and the game-winning run.

Reyes (4-2) took the loss for CSUP, but pitched well enough to win in her 6.2 innings, allowing 12 hits and seven runs, of which just three were earned.

Alexa Snyder went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead CSUP's offense in the opener.

Game two was all Bosio. She faced just 23 batters, striking out four Skyhawks while allowing just two walks and Rodriguez's seventh-inning double.

The ThunderWolves got all the offense they'd need in the third inning, when they patched together three singles to plate Aimee Spathias and take a 1-0 lead.

A controversial call in the fifth gave them insurance when Stephanie Janes bobbled a routine throw by Rodriguez on what would have been the inning's third out. Though she pulled off the bag, Janes appeared to dive back and tag the base ahead of CSUP's Ariel Lopez.

An error by DeHerrera on a routine fly ball down the right field line in the sixth led to CSUP's third run.

Reyes hit her second homer of the day — this time a two-run shot to left center in the seventh — to account for the game's final runs.

Olivia Bergman (2-3) went six innings and faced three batters in the seventh before being lifted for reliever Katie Watkins. Bergman allowed five runs (three earned) and 12 hits while striking out three. Watkins pitched an inning of shutout softball, striking out two and hitting one batter.

Aimee Spathias and Snyder each went 3-for-4 for CSUP in the nightcap.

The Skyhawks, who came into the day leading all of NCAA Division II softball in home runs, were held without a long ball in either game.

The same two teams conclude their four-game set tomorrow at Aspen Field. First pitches are slated for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.