FLC 18, CMU 15
FLC 10, CMU 9

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Fort Lewis College softball team pulled two victories from the jaws of defeat again tonight by belting go-ahead home runs in the bottom of the seventh in each game to sweep Colorado Mesa 18-15 and 10-9 at Bus Bergman Field.

“At this point, it doesn't matter who is coming up,” said second-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter. “Those players are stepping up and getting the job done, whether it's you're getting on base to start a rally or hitting a big home run.”

In the opener, the Janes twins had back-to-back jacks in the top of the seventh to lead FLC to an 18-15 win in which the Skyhawks (10-9 overall, 8-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) put up crooked numbers in all but one frame.

Natalie Janes' two-run bomb gave the Skyhawks the lead; Stephanie Janes' second homer of the game added insurance. Olivia Bergman shut down the Mavs in the final inning to notch her second save of the year.

In the nightcap, pinch hitter Myndee Thompson – a player who has struggled at the plate since the season-opening Desert Stinger – ripped a three-run shot to lift the Skyhawks to a 10-9 comeback win. Alexis Villegas gave up a walk in the bottom of the frame, but retired the other three batters to get the save.

The Skyhawks used all five of their pitchers in the doubleheader – four per game. Freshman Katie Watkins pitched the fifth and sixth in both outings to earn a pair of victories.

“It was a predetermined decision I made to use all five of our pitchers because they have different looks. It keeps the batters off balance.”

The Mavs fell to 8-6 overall, 6-4 in the RMAC.

The Fort Lewis bats were hot throughout. The Skyhawks belted six home runs on the day, including a school-record five in the opener – three by the Janeses (two by Stephanie, one by Natalie) and one each by Hayley Bolyard and Kamali'i Peneku. FLC also had 33 total hits (18 in the first game) and 27 RBI (18 in the opener).

The suddenly all-alone-in-first-place Skyhawks host UC-Colorado Springs (7-5, 5-3) this weekend at Ricketts Field No. 3 in Farmington, N.M. The games were forced south due to snowpack on FLC's normal home turf, Aspen Field. First pitches are slated for noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday.