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Hannah Gondini
Max DeHerrera/Sports Fanatic Photography

Softball Brian Kortz

Important Pod Series in Pueblo Awaits for Softball This Weekend

PUEBLO, Colo. – Sitting just percentage points back of a possible Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament spot, the Fort Lewis College softball team gets set for a big weekend as they will face two fellow teams that are also battling to possibly reach the postseason tournament. The Skyhawks will play Chadron State and host CSU-Pueblo in an RMAC Pod this Friday and Saturday, as the games were moved up with it being Easter Sunday.

FLC will open the weekend on Friday against CSU-Pueblo starting at 11 a.m. before finishing the day at 1 p.m. against Chadron State. On Saturday, FLC will open against Chadron State at noon and then close the day at 2 p.m. against CSU-Pueblo.

The final two RMAC Tournament spots are up for grabs that are currently occupied by Regis in seventh with a 10-17 record (.370) and Adams State in eighth with a 10-19 record (.345). CSU-Pueblo is ninth at 10-22 (.313), Fort Lewis is 10th at 9-23 (.281), Black Hills State and New Mexico Highlands are tied for 11th at 7-18 (.280) and Chadron State is 13th at 8-23 (.258). With all the teams not playing the same amount of games, it will come down to conference win percentage points to decide who will make the field. Regis and Adams State will play a four-game series this weekend in Alamosa.

FLC (14-31, 9-23 RMAC) went 1-3 this past weekend at home against MSU Denver picking up a win Sunday and came close in both second games on Saturday and Sunday before falling just short.

Mackenzie Parks had a big weekend at the plate posting six hits and a .600 average with a home run, a double and six RBI. She had a hit in three of the four games, hitting a solo homer in the opener and then went 3-3 to end the day on Saturday with two RBI and a double. After an RBI in the third game, Parks added two more hits and two RBI in the series finale. She also pitched 4.2 innings in the circle in two different appearances.

Angelique Elemen leads the team or is tied for the team lead in batting average (.421), tied in hits (56), ties in doubles (13), home runs (13), RBI (34), slugging percentage (.812), walks (19) and on-base percentage (.500). McKenna Hefley is second on the team in average at .377, while adding 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 31 RBI. Taylor Hollestelle is amongst the team leaders in average (.366), hits (56), leads in runs scored (38), doubles (13), triples (2), home runs (7) and RBI (33). Pilar Gutierrez (.302), Parks (.320), Taylor Beaman (.306) and Hannah Gondini (.300) are all hitting above .300 this season.

In the circle, Kassidy Trumbo leads the team in ERA (5.63), innings pitched (93.1) and has five complete games to go along with a 5.63 ERA and three wins. Emily Morris has tossed 80.1 innings this year and holds a 6.01 ERA in 27 appearances, leading the team in both wins (6) and strikeouts (75). Kelly Decker has pitched 57 innings and has two wins, while Dana Dwyer and Parks each have a win this season in the circle.

Elemen remains the program leader in home runs currently at 53 and in RBI at 176. Elemen is within three home runs of tying for second in RMAC history and recently moved to eighth in RMAC history in RBI, sitting just three away from seventh, nine away from sixth and 12 away from breaking into the top-five. She also increased her program record in total bases which now stands at 428. In addition, Elemen holds the doubles record which presently stands at 47. She is just three doubles away from breaking into the top-10 in RMAC history. Elemen is closing in on the program record for hits, currently at 221 which leaves her just three away from tying Missy Fundora for the top spot in program history. Other numbers include 120 runs scored, 696 putouts and 63 walks leaving her fourth in program history in runs scored, third in putouts and tied for sixth in walks, one back of fourth.

FLC ranks in the top-five in the RMAC and top-100 nationally in batting average (.297), 97th nationally, double players per game (0.31), 92nd nationally, doubles per game (1.51), 77th nationally, home runs per game (0.89), 33rd nationally, scoring (5.47), fifth in the RMAC and 61st nationally, fourth in the RMAC and 53rd nationally in slugging percentage (0.465). Individually, Elemen is first in the RMAC and ninth nationally in home runs (13), first in the RMAC and seventh nationally in total bases (108), second in the RMAC and 22nd nationally in slugging percentage (.812), third in the RMAC and 24th nationally in home runs per game (.30), third in the RMAC and 62nd nationally in batting average (.421), fourth in the RMAC and 68th nationally in on-base percentage (.500), fourth in the RMAC and 41st nationally in hits (56), eighth in the RMAC and 59th nationally in doubles (13). McKenna Hefley is eighth in the RMAC and 59th nationally in doubles (13), 10th in the RMAC and 71st nationally in doubles per game (0.33), 10th in the RMAC in runs per game (0.90). Hollestelle is fourth in the RMAC and 41st nationally in hits (56), sixth in the RMAC and 38th nationally in total bases (94), eighth in the RMAC and 59th nationally in doubles (13). Morris is fourth in the RMAC and 87th nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (6.5). Gutierrez is sixth in the RMAC and 64th nationally in toughest to strikeout (25.8).

Last year against CSU-Pueblo, the Skyhawks split four games in Durango picking up wins by scores of 8-6 and 3-2. Currently, FLC is holding a one-game winning streak in the series taking the 8-6 win in the series finale in 2018.

The ThunderWolves are 10-24 overall and 9-21 in RMAC play, currently 4-10 at home this season. This past weekend, CSU-Pueblo went 1-3 in an RMAC pod against Colorado Mesa and Regis, dropping both to the Mavericks and splitting against the Rangers.

Michaela Burpee leads the way with a .386 average, 10 home runs and 33 RBI. Marissa Piatt adds a .380 average with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Jordan Sheard is hitting .360, while Sabrina Felix gives the team four regulars hitting over .350 as she is hitting right at .350.

In the circle, Taylor Strupp has a 4.73 ERA with six wins in 91.2 innings. Hannah Anderson has a 4.82 ERA in 52.1 innings of work and a victory, while Samantha Riesen has tossed 62.2 innings and has three wins along with a 5.81 ERA.

FLC will also face Chadron State who enter with a 11-30 overall record and 8-23 mark in RMAC play, going 6-10 away from home in true road contests and 3-6 in neutral site games. The Eagles played at home this past weekend against Dixie State and after winning the first game, dropped the final three games of the series, including a close final two games by scores of 2-1 and 8-6.

Last year when the teams met in Chadron, the Eagles won three of four as the Skyhawks took the third game in the series by a 5-1 score. Chadron State holds a one-game winning streak in the series after winning the series finale last year.

Chadron State has four players hitting over .320 with Haleigh Hoefs leading the way with a .448 average, along with eight home runs and 39 RBI. Bailey Marvel has a .396 average, Kayla Michel has a .360 average, but leads the team with 13 homers and 50 RBI. Ellie Owens rounds out the four hitting over .320 as she checks in right at .320.

In the circle, Dallas Magnusson has the top ERA at 3.88 in48.2 innings and has a win on the season. Cassidy Horn has tossed 73.2 innings with a 6.08 ERA and five wins. Peyton Propp has two wins on staff as well in 39 innings.

A look around the rest of the RMAC standings includes Colorado Mesa leading the way at 28-3, followed by Colorado Christian at 22-6, Colorado School of Mines at 21-8, Dixie State at 23-9, MSU Denver at 17-11 and UCCS in sixth at 18-13. All six teams have already clinched a spot in the RMAC Tournament.

Live video and stats will be available for all four games this Friday and Saturday.
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Taylor Beaman

#17 Taylor Beaman

C/UT
5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R
Kelly Decker

#11 Kelly Decker

P
5' 8"
Junior
R/R
Angelique Elemen

#27 Angelique Elemen

UT
5' 7"
Senior
R/R
Pilar Gutierrez

#9 Pilar Gutierrez

SB
5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
McKenna Hefley

#3 McKenna Hefley

C/UT
5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Kassidy Trumbo

#18 Kassidy Trumbo

P
5' 11"
Sophomore
L/L
Dana Dwyer

#21 Dana Dwyer

P/1B
5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
Hannah Gondini

#8 Hannah Gondini

OF
5' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
Taylor Hollestelle

#5 Taylor Hollestelle

C/OF
5' 3"
Junior
R/R
Emily Morris

#4 Emily Morris

P
5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R

Players Mentioned

Taylor Beaman

#17 Taylor Beaman

5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R
C/UT
Kelly Decker

#11 Kelly Decker

5' 8"
Junior
R/R
P
Angelique Elemen

#27 Angelique Elemen

5' 7"
Senior
R/R
UT
Pilar Gutierrez

#9 Pilar Gutierrez

5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
SB
McKenna Hefley

#3 McKenna Hefley

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
C/UT
Kassidy Trumbo

#18 Kassidy Trumbo

5' 11"
Sophomore
L/L
P
Dana Dwyer

#21 Dana Dwyer

5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
P/1B
Hannah Gondini

#8 Hannah Gondini

5' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
OF
Taylor Hollestelle

#5 Taylor Hollestelle

5' 3"
Junior
R/R
C/OF
Emily Morris

#4 Emily Morris

5' 8"
Sophomore
R/R
P