The Fort Lewis College track and field teams set school records in Albuquerque and Allendale, Michigan over the weekend.
Junior Hannah Hartwell led the way with a very impressive performance at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet in Allendale on Friday. She finished first in the women’s 5,000 meter race with a school record, meet record and personal record of 16 minutes and 8.22 seconds; Hartwell broke her personal record by about 20 seconds.
“Hannah went out and she was the head of the pacers,” FLC associate head coach Gracen Key said. “She and this other girl, a Division III girl, were almost in their own little world. Hannah said she was as confident as she had felt since her 10k at nationals in outdoor. So I knew going into the race, because she had said that, it was going to be good. Did I know she was going to run 16:08? Not necessarily. I knew she's capable of that, but I wasn't expecting it. It was definitely a very pleasant surprise.”
Hartwell, Key and junior Alliyah Molina were supposed to go to Washington to compete in a meet. However, some logistical things at the last minute didn’t work out so they headed to Michigan. Key and her runners embraced the change and it was the perfect place for Hartwell to run well.
Key thinks Hartwell’s performance shows she’s one of the more underrated female distance runners in Division II. Key said she’s a force to be reckoned with and Hartwell’s performance coincides with how the FLC program is rising through Division II.
The men’s team had two record breakers at the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque. Senior Brady Burrough finished third in the mile with a school record of 4:07.84. Sophomore Zachary Gaumont set a school record in the 200 and finished 20th in 21.85. Gaumont was also eighth in the 60 in 6.93.
Behind Burrough in the mile was freshman Brody Hubbard who finished in eighth in 4:14.56.
The men’s and women’s teams are heading to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, to compete in the NAU Tune Up on Friday.
Softball struggles in opening RMAC series against MSU Denver
The FLC softball team hasn’t gotten off to the start of its season that it hoped to. The Skyhawks dropped three games to MSU Denver on Sunday and Monday.
FLC’s three losses dropped the Skyhawks to 1-7 overall and 0-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. All three games were supposed to be in Durango but weather moved them to Denver.
The series started on Sunday with a Roadrunners 5-1 win. Both teams scored in the second inning and MSU Denver scored in the fifth inning to go up 2-1. MSU Denver pulled away with three runs in the seventh.
MSU Denver ended up with 10 hits compared to only four for FLC. Senior Alex Tenorio, senior Briana Jorgensen, junior Cali Niccum and Faith Sgoro each had hits.
Redshirt junior Hailie Mann pitched six innings for FLC and gave up 10 hits and five runs while having three strikeouts.
In the second game on Sunday, the Roadrunners won 6-0. Two runs in the first, one in the third and three in the fifth allowed MSU Denver to pull away. MSU Denver outhit FLC 10-3.
Jorgensen, freshman Alyssa Fockler and Sgro had hits.
Freshman pitcher Addison Gavigan pitched four innings for the Skyhawks and allowed seven hits and five runs while striking out three. Senior Amiee Shanks pitched three innings and allowed three hits, one run and struck out two batters.
On Monday, the Roadrunners finished the series with an 8-0 win. The game was tied through five innings before MSU Denver scored six runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.
MSU Denver had 13 hits compared to only sophomore Natalie Rodman’s one hit for FLC. Shanks pitched all seven innings and struck out two batters.
The Skyhawks play four games on the road against Colorado School of Mines on Saturday and Sunday.
Women’s lacrosse drops opening two games of season in California
New Skyhawks women’s lacrosse coach Ariannah Ritter is still searching for her first win as FLC’s head coach after the Skyhawks lost both games in California earlier this week.
FLC lost to Saint Michael’s College 18-7 in San Rafael, California, on Sunday. Saint Michael’s jumped out to an 8-2 lead after the first quarter and extended that lead to 12-5 at halftime. The margin increased as FLC trailed 16-6 after three quarters.
Junior Samantha Rodgers and senior Phoebe Ramirez each had two goals to lead FLC. Sydney Tannaci, Piper Price and Jasmin Nguyen each had a goal for the Skyhawks.
Senior Caley Lay had 11 saves for FLC.
On Tuesday, the Skyhawks lost 16-8 to Dominican University of California. Dominican led 5-3 after the first and 8-5 at halftime. It extended the lead to 11-7 after three quarters.
Nguyen led the way with three goals for FLC. Victoria Barletta had two goals; Maddie Thompson, Rilee Powless and Price each had a goal.
Caley finished with 12 saves.
The Skyhawks head up to Denver to play Davenport University on March 1 at 3 p.m.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
