AZTEC, N.M. – March 11, 2017 – The Fort Lewis College softball team opened their home season Saturday afternoon against MSU Denver at the Aztec Tiger Sports Complex in Aztec, N.M.  FLC dropped game one, 15-6, and game two, 18-5 (five innings).
 
Trailing 9-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning the opening game, Angelique Elemen led off the inning with a home run to put the Skyhawks on the scoreboard.  With runners on first and second base, Mandy Owens singled to left field to score Tehennia Telliano.  Kellie Peterson followed with a double to second base to score Tristen Gilbert for the third run of the inning. 
 
Adriana Rosthenhausler reached base in the fourth inning on an error that resulted in Peterson scoring the Skyhawks fourth run of the game. 
 
Elemen scored another run of the game for the Skyhawks when she hit her second home run of the game in the fifth inning to cut into MSU Denver's 11-5 lead.  The Roadrunners added one run in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh inning for a 15-5 lead.  Lauren Caldwell drove in the final run of the game on a single that plated Gianna Melaragno.
 
Kelly Decker started the game in the circle for the Skyhawks, surrendering eight runs on five hits in the first inning.  Olivia Bratt pitched the final 5.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits.
 
Elemen finished with two hits on three at-bats, two runs scored and two runs batted in. 
 
In game two, the Roadrunners jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first three innings.  Tristen Gilbert gave the Skyhawks their first run of the game with a home run to lead off the  third inning. 
 
The Skyhawks held the Roadrunners to one run in the final two innings.
 
FLC added four runs in the fifth inning.  Rosthenhausler started the scoring spree with a single up the middle to score Kassidy Buis.  Melaragno hit a two-run double to left center that scored Rosthenhausler and Allison Young.  Melaragno plated the final run of the game on an error to close the game, 18-5.
 
Five pitchers saw action in the circle.  Madison Stanich worked 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits.  Mandy Owens and Rosthenhausler recorded their first career pitches for the Skyhawks, combining for 1.1 innings of work.
 
Melaragno led the offense with two hits, two runs batted in and one run scored.
 
The Skyhawks will finish the four game series against the Roadrunners Sunday morning at 11 a.m.