Juliana Landefeld, Mines Athletics

Faith Sgro (1) batting against the Orediggers at Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field (Feb. 23, 2025).

Softball welcomes Cougars for home opener on Aspen Field

2/27/2025 10:00:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement

DURANGO, Colo. – Looking to be back on Aspen Field for the first time in 2025, the Fort Lewis softball team (2-10, 1-6 RMAC) will look to utilize the comforts of home dirt to bounce back with a four-game series this Friday and Saturday against conference-leading Colorado Christian (12-6, 8-0 RMAC).

Hot Chocolate and Hand Warmers
With early forecasts showing temperatures in the low high 50s and low 60s, Skyhawks Athletics is excited to provide free hand warmers and hot chocolate at this weekend's series to help fans brave the cold and ramp up the energy at Skyhawks softball.

Freshmen in the Circle
It's been a tale of two freshmen in the circle thus far, with the two right-handers earning the only wins for Fort Lewis thus far. Addison Gavigan, a five-foot-seven graduate of Campo Verde High School in Gilbert, Ariz., pitched her way to a seven-inning 5-2 complete-game win over Vanguard (Calif.) (6-10, 2-2 PacWest) back in Irvine, Calif. Gavigan's performance led her to be one of two players from the RMAC to be named to the Concordia Kickoff Classic All-Tournament Team. Last weekend, Chloe Padilla, a five-foot-seven graduate and Colorado native out of Fruita High School, went the distance at Colorado School of Mines (5-13, 4-3 RMAC) in a 4-1 victory, and most notably, registered a Skyhawks season-high seven strikeouts and drew two walks at the plate.

Finding an Offensive Rhythm
Fort Lewis got off to a slow start offensively to open conference play, totaling just eight hits across its 21 innings up in Denver two weeks ago. Last weekend, however, the Skyhawks found their stride and rifled off seven hits in game one against Mines and finished the series with 27 hits, including five doubles. Heading into the third weekend of the season, senior Briana Jorgensen and freshman Alyssa Fockler pace the Skyhawks with ten hits each. While Jorgensen leads Fockler in batting average .333 to .270, Fockler has posted four doubles, one home run, drawn five walks, and laid down two sacrifice hits. Freshman Rhiannon Lister leads all players in slugging with a .500 slugging percentage on five doubles in six hits with one walk and one hit-by-pitch.

Conference-Leading Cougars
Colorado Christian is off to a hot start in 2025, sweeping both New Mexico Highlands (7-11, 1-7 RMAC) and UCCS (7-9, 2-5 RMAC) and winning seven of the eight games by run rule, six of which came in just five innings. Before RMAC play, the Cougars went just 4-6 in non-conference play.

Emma Duncan (4-2) and Kaila Eastburn (3-1) are the only two Cougars to register over 30 innings in the circle thus far, with Duncan leading the way carrying a 2.30 earned run average. Both pitchers have struck out 22 batters, but Eastburn, who owns a 4.80 ERA, leads the pair with eight walks to Duncan's 13. As a staff, CCU pitchers carry a 3.50 combined ERA.

At the plate, nine different Cougars boast a .300+ average for a .343 batting average as a team. Danae Lopez leads the team with a .413 average and .471 on-base percentage in 46 at-bats, but it's Eastburn who leads the roster in slugging with six doubles, one triple, and three home runs among her 17 total hits in 47 at-bats.

Up Next
The Skyhawks will head back out on the road for the third time in four weeks next weekend and head to Mountain Lion Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., for a four-game series at UCCS. A pair of doubleheaders are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 8-9, with Noon and 11 a.m. start times, respectively.

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Softball welcomes Cougars for home opener on Aspen Field