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Angelique Elemen, Team
Max DeHerrera/Sports Fanatic Photography

Softball Brian Kortz

Softball Looks to Make Push for RMAC Tournament This Friday and Saturday at Home Against Dixie State for Senior Weekend

DURANGO, Colo. – It all comes down to the final four games of the regular season for the Fort Lewis College softball team as they look to make a final push to secure a final spot for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament this Friday and Saturday against Dixie State with doubleheaders starting at 11 a.m. both days. Senior Angelique Elemen will be recognized as the lone senior on the team following the final game on Saturday.

FLC (16-33, 11-25 RMAC) enters the week 10th in the conference standings but could move as high as seventh depending on results. Right now, Regis is seventh at 12-19 (.387) and Adams State holds the final spot in eighth at 12-21 (.364). CSU-Pueblo is ninth at 11-23 (.324), then Fort Lewis at 11-25 (.306), Chadron State at 10-25 (.286) and then both Black Hills State and New Mexico Highlands are tied at 7-22 (.241).

The Skyhawks could gain the seventh seed if they won at least three games and Regis didn't win a game. They could also move to seventh by winning all four games and Regis winning one game. They would also need Adams State to not win more than two games to get the seventh seed but could still pass Adams State if the Grizzlies won one game and FLC won all four. CSU-Pueblo could jump to the seventh seed with three or four wins, as FLC could only pass the ThunderWolves if they won three, FLC could still win four and pass. Chadron State could vault all the way into the seventh seed if they won all four games, Regis didn't win any, Adams State only won one, CSU-Pueblo only won two and FLC won only three. Black Hills State and New Mexico Highlands could still make the eighth seed, but they would have to win all four games and then have the other teams lose out. That will be tough for Black Hills State as they face Chadron State this weekend.

As far as the main options for FLC, outside of pushing for the seventh seed, they still have a strong shot at the eighth seed. Right now, the Skyhawks would have to win at least two games and then have Adams State lose all four games, CSU-Pueblo win no more than one game and Chadron State win no more than three games. If the Skyhawks win three games, they would need Adams State to again win no games, as if they won one game, they would be percentage points (.351 to .350) ahead of FLC, then CSU-Pueblo no more than two wins and Chadron State no more than three wins. If FLC were to win all four games Adams State could win no more than one game, CSU-Pueblo no more than three wins and Chadron State wouldn't be able to catch.

Entering this weekend, only Dixie State and Fort Lewis have played all 36 conference games on the schedule.

As for the rest of the RMAC standings, Colorado Mesa continues to hold the top spot at 31-4, Colorado Christian is second at 26-6 and Dixie State is third at 27-9. Colorado Mesa and Colorado Christian will face each other this weekend in a pod series along with New Mexico Highlands in Lakewood. Colorado School of Mines is fourth at 23-10, MSU Denver is fifth at 19-13, UCCS is sixth at 19-16 as all six of the top seeds have clinched tournament spots.

Other matchups this week include Adams State at UCCS, CSU-Pueblo at Colorado School of Mines and Regis at MSU Denver.

As the only senior on the team, Elemen enters the week leading the team in batting average (.428), hits (62), tied for doubles (13), home runs (15), RBI (39), slugging percentage (.828), walks (21) and on-base percentage (.506). She has started 47 games this season.

Elemen remains the program leader in home runs having added two this past weekend and is now at 55 for her career. She also added to her program record in RBI which now stands at 181. Elemen is just a home run away from tying for second in RMAC history and is seventh in the RMAC records books in RBI, sitting just four away from sixth and seven away from breaking into the top-five. In addition, Elemen is the program leader in total bases currently at 440, doubles at 47 and recently broke the hits record which now stands at 227. She is just three doubles away from breaking into the top-10 in RMAC history. Other numbers include 123 runs scored, 730 putouts and 65 walks leaving her fourth in program history in runs scored, third in putouts, just 24 from tying for third and fourth in walks.

McKenna Hefley is second on the team with a .375 average, along with 51 hits, tied for the doubles lead with 13, leads the team in triples with three and has six home runs and 35 RBI, second on the team. Taylor Hollestelle is second on the team in home runs with eight, is tied for the team lead in doubles with 13 and is third on the team in both batting average (.363) and RBI (34). She also has two triples. Pilar Gutierrez has a .305 average along with 43 hits, five doubles, two home runs and 18 RBI. Hannah Gondini (.308) and Taylor Beaman (.306) round out the group hitting over .300.

In the circle, Kassidy Trumbo put together a strong week and lowered her ERA to 4.98. She's appeared in 27 games, starting 19 and has four wins in 108.1 innings of work. For the week, Trumbo appeared in three games logging 15 innings and allowing just two earned runs along with six strikeouts and no walks. Emily Morris has tossed 86.1 innings and has a 5.76 ERA with seven wins this year. She's posted 77 strikeouts. Kelly Decker has two wins in 63 innings and both Dana Dwyer and Mackenzie Parks have a win in the circle. Mandy Lorenson picked up one earlier in the year. Head Coach Elle Fracker enters the weekend with 99 career victories.

FLC ranks in the top-five in the RMAC and top-100 nationally in batting average (.299), double plays per game (.35), fourth in the RMAC and 58th nationally, doubles per game (1.48), 81st nationally, home runs per game (.94), fourth in the RMAC and 28th nationally, scoring (5.35), 69th nationally, slugging percentage (.467), fourth in the RMAC and 45th nationally.

Individually, Elemen ranks first in the RMAC and fifth nationally in total bases (120), first in the RMAC and sixth nationally in home runs (15), first in the RMAC and 14th nationally in home runs per game (0.33), second in the RMAC and 16th nationally in slugging percentage (.828), fourth in the RMAC and 52nd nationally in batting average (.428), fourth in the RMAC and 37th nationally in hits (62), fourth in the RMAC and 60th nationally in on-base percentage (.506), ninth in the RMAC and 97th nationally in RBI (39) and 78th nationally in doubles (13). McKenna Hefley is 78th nationally in doubles (13). Hollestelle is 78th nationally in doubles (13), fourth in the RMAC and 37th nationally in hits (61) and seventh in the RMAC and 38th nationally in total bases (102). Morris is fifth in the RMAC in strikeouts per seven innings (6.2). Gutierrez is fifth in the RMAC and 47th nationally in toughest to strikeout.

This past weekend, FLC went 2-2 in the RMAC pod in Pueblo, winning both games against CSU-Pueblo (5-4, 3-2) and falling shorts against Chadron State (5-8, 1-4).

Last year, the teams met in Tucson at the Cactus Classic and the Trailblazers claimed the 17-4 win. The year before in 2017 was a shootout in Tucson as Dixie State escaped with a 18-16 win.

Dixie State is 33-10 this season and 27-9 in RMAC play, holding a 10-8 record away from home in true road contests and 2-0 in neutral site games. They are riding a seven-game winning streak after sweeping New Mexico Highlands in St. George this past weekend. After dropping the first game at Chadron State the week before, the Trailblazers then won the next three of that series.

Jessica Gonzalez leads the team with a .400 average, along with 10 home runs and 37 RBI. Bailey Gaffin is right behind with a .396 average and 24 RBI. Riley Tyteca adds a .385 average. Three others are hitting over .300 in the regular lineup, while Malory Eldredge is hitting .441 off the bench.

In the circle, Dixie State has a pair of aces in Cambrie Hazel and Carissa Burgess. Both have sub-three ERAs with Hazel at 2.06 and Burgess at 2.61. Hazel is coming off an RMAC Pitcher of the Week honor and has 14 wins this season in 122.1 innings. She also has 173 strikeouts to just 38 walks. Burgess has 18 wins this year in 123.1 innings pitched and adds 71 strikeouts to just 21 walks. Alexandria Melendez has pitched in 12 games this year and has logged 31.1 innings, picking up one win.

Live video and stats will be available for all four games.
 
 
 
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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
Mandy Lorenson

#1 Mandy Lorenson

P
5' 6"
Junior
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

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
Mandy Lorenson

#1 Mandy Lorenson

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
P
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