Game 1: UCCS 11, Fort Lewis 3 (5 innings)
Game 2: UCCS 8, Fort Lewis 3
Game 3: UCCS 17, Fort Lewis 9 (6 innings)
 
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — UC-Colorado Springs (8-4-1 overall, 3-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) swept a rare softball tripleheader from Fort Lewis (2-6, 0-3) Saturday at Mountain Lion Field. UCCS won 11-3, 8-3 and 17-9, with the first and third games shortened due to the eight-run mercy rule.
 
“We'll use (Saturday) as a learning experience,” said third-year FLC head coach Kira Zeiter. “There were things we did well and things we need to work on. UCCS was more consistent. We will continue to improve.”
 
The series was compressed from a four-game, two-day affair to a tripleheader due to predictions of extreme cold, high winds and precipitation in the Pikes Peak Region. RMAC code limits teams from competing in softball when the wind chill is below 25 degrees and The Weather Channel's forecast predicted Sunday's wind chill to be well below the 25-degree minimum. Once a series begins, the code requires teams to complete as many games as possible within a two-day span.
 
Thus, the Sunday single-game was cancelled on Saturday.
 
Fort Lewis managed just nine hits in the first two games, but saw its bats come to life in the third, pounding out 13 hits — all singles.
 
FLC's lone extra-base knocks on the day were Chelsea Rodriguez's second homer of the season — a solo shot in the first game — and Nikki Klepfer's two-run double in the second game.
 
Rodriguez, a two-time All-RMAC third baseman, went 5-for-8 on the day with three runs scored and three runs batted in. She also drew a pair of walks.
 
Kaitlyn Bending had four hits and scored three runs on the day.
 
Each of FLC's pitchers suffered losses: Kassie Haubert (1-4) in the opener, Victoria Johnson (1-1) in the middle game and Katie Watkins (0-1) in the nightcap. Johnson fared the best of the three, giving up eight runs on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts in her lone game. Haubert struck out six on the day — two as a starter in the opener and four in 3.1 innings of relief in the nightcap.
 
UC-Colorado Springs had the exact same number of runs and hits on the day — 11 of each in the first game, eight of each in the second and 17 of each in the third.
 
Becca Smith (5-2), Jessica Belsterling (3-2) and Korey Kulpins (1-0) each picked up victories in the circle for the Mountain Lions.
 
Belsterling also hit two of UCCS' four home runs during the tripleheader and drove in four runs on the day.
 
The Skyhawks travel to Alamosa, Colo., next weekend for the first of two “quad” weekends for the season. FLC will play Adams State (2-4, 1-0) and New Mexico Highlands (6-7, 0-2) each day.