Fort Lewis College Athletics

Brandy Sanderson

Ashley Burriel (6) fires to first against Regis up on Aspen Field in Durango, Colo., on Mar. 8, 2024.

Skyhawks set for weekend clash with Orediggers

3/21/2024 12:15:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis softball team is looking to get back in the series win column this weekend as the Skyhawks (7-18, 5-11 RMAC) challenge Colorado School of Mines (12-14, 8-10 RMAC) in a four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series this Friday and Saturday at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field.

Game Information
Friday, Mar. 22 | Noon & 2:00 p.m.
vs. Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colo. | Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets

Saturday, Mar. 23 | 11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
vs. Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colo. | Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets

Coming Off a Split
Two weekends ago, the Skyhawks used its home-field advantage to force a 2-2 series split with Regis (15-13, 11-7 RMAC) after walking off the opening game 2-1 in eight innings and finding the edge 7-6 in the series finale. Alex Tenorio led the charge at the plate as the junior shortstop racked up eight hits in her 14 at-bats to produce four runs and two runs batted in. Amiee Shanks (5-8) and Hailie Mann (2-10) each earned wins while also both setting season-highs in strikeouts with eight and seven, respectively.

Fort Lewis Leaders
Kayla Stone leads a pack of five Skyhawks who all boast a batting average above .300. The senior from Salinas, Calif., ranks eighth among conference talents in both average (.419) and slugging percentage (.743) with 31 total hits including 11 doubles, two triples, and three home runs to pair with 26 runs batted in. In the circle, Shanks stands as the conference leader in innings pitched with 95.0 on the season. Shanks owns a 4.35 earned run average with 42 strikeouts on the year while holding opposing hitters to a .290 average.

Scouting the Orediggers
Heading into Friday, Fort Lewis trails Colorado School of Mines 71-60 in the all-time series dating back to Apr. 7, 1984. Mines enters the weekend sixth in the conference standings after splitting a two-game series with Regis last Monday with a 6-2 loss followed by an 11-9 win over the Rangers. Two weeks ago, the Orediggers also forced a 2-2 series split with No. 9-ranked Colorado Christian (25-4, 17-3 RMAC).

As a unit, Mines boasts a 4.45 team ERA headlined by graduate student Sadriena Rodriguez who's racked up a 6-5 record this season alongside a 3.40 ERA through 68.0 innings of work. Rodriguez is holding opposing hitters to a .248 average and has struck out 48 while walking 22. Offensively, the Orediggers sit just behind FLC in eighth with a .277 team average but are also tied for last in the league with a .367 team slugging percentage. Kendall Aragon leads four Orediggers with .300+ averages with a .391 clip while totaling 34 hits, 10 runs scored, and 12 RBIs.

Back-to-Back Road Trips
Fort Lewis will remain on the road next week as the Skyhawks head east to the Rawlings Softball Complex and Pueblo, Colo., for another four-game league series at CSU Pueblo (11-20, 9-11 RMAC) on Thursday and Friday, Mar. 28-29.

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