GOLDEN, Colo. – Fort Lewis softball (2-10, 1-6 RMAC) took advantage of hits in key moments to earn its first conference win over the season, 4-1 over Colorado School of Mines (5-13, 5-3 RMAC), but a crooked inning in game two sunk the Skyhawks 7-6 and ultimately gave the Orediggers a 3-1 series victory on the road.
 
Chloe Padilla (1-1) was the story of the afternoon for Fort Lewis, as she picked up her first collegiate win in the circle in her second start of the season. The Fruita High School graduate tossed all 7.0 innings in game one, scattering five hits and four walks for one earned run. Padilla also set a new career-high with seven strikeouts and now boasts a 1.37 earned run average for the season. In addition, Padilla went 2-for-4 at the plate across both games, recording a pair of singles, her first run batted in, and drew two walks.
 
Makenna Milliman led all Skyhawks on the day with a career-best 3-for-5 performance in game two. In total, Milliman went 3-for-8 with three runs scored, one RBI, and one walk.
 
Fort Lewis 4, Mines 1
Padilla, a freshman right-hander, toed the rubber and went the distance to secure the Skyhawks first conference win of the year and earn her first collegiate victory. On 124 pitches, Padilla scattered five hits and four walks to surrender one earned run while striking out a career-high seven batters. Taylor Wayne (3-3) took the loss, throwing a complete game of her own and giving up four earned runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
 
The Skyhawks jumped on the Orediggers early to set the tone, using a double down the right field line from Rhiannon Lister to plate Milliman, who led off the inning with a walk, and Cali Niccum, who singled the at-bat prior, with only one out in the top of the first inning. Mines loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning but came empty as Padilla struck out back-to-back Orediggers to escape the jam.
 
Mines ultimately tied the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to a triple to right-center field from E Self after a Lauren Romero single. The stalemate carried into the final inning until Fort Lewis finally broke the game open. In the top of the seventh, Sienna Mullin was hit by a pitch before Faith Sgro singled to put a runner in scoring position. Alyssa Fockler then belted a double to left-center field for the 3-1 advantage, and Niccum singled the next at-bat to drive in Fockler and ultimately seal the Skyhawks victory.
 
Mines 7, Fort Lewis 6
It was déjà vu for the Fort Lewis in game two, as the Skyhawks catapulted out to an early 4-0 lead scoring a pair in both the first and second innings. Natalie Rodman and Padilla singled to score a run each in the first frame, while Sgro and Lister forced fielders' choices and a pair of errors to score another two.
 
After stranding five runners in the first three innings, Colorado School of Mines exploded in the bottom of the fourth for six total runs. A lead-off double followed by two singles and a stolen base plated the first two and chased out Addison Gavigan (1-0), who went 3.1 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits and three walks. Hailie Mann (0-4) earned just one out while surrendering three earned runs on three hits, most notably a three-run home run from Cassidy Chvatal.
 
Amiee Shanks (0-5) then jumped in to throw the final 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out a pair. Fort Lewis brought the contest back even in the top of the fifth inning, first scoring on a fielder's choice from McKenna Timmons and then once more in a single up the middle from Milliman.
 
Later, in the bottom of the sixth, Mines recaptured a 7-6 lead after connecting a lead-off walk with three singles and a fielder's choice before a strikeout ended the jam. Padilla singled to open the top end of the seventh, and Sgro later singled with two outs to put the tying run in scoring position, but Fort Lewis was unable to score, ultimately crediting Shanks with the loss.
 
Notes
-Fort Lewis' win in game one of the afternoon broke a seven-game losing streak to Colorado School of Mines.
-The Skyhawks now trail the Orediggers 78-61 all-time and 40-20 up in Golden, Colo.
-Chloe Padilla earned her first collegiate win and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts: the most in a game by a Skyhawk this year. In addition, Padilla notched her first collegiate hit and RBI.
-Makenna Milliman became the first Skyhawk this season to record 3+ hits in a game with a career-best 3-for-5 outing in game two.
 
Up Next
The Skyhawks will make its home debut on Aspen Field next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28 – Mar. 1, hosting Colorado Christian (12-6, 8-0 RMAC) for a four-game series with doubleheaders scheduled for noon and 11 a.m., respectively. Free hot chocolate and hand warmers will be available for fans courtesy of Skyhawks Athletics.