The Fort Lewis College softball team committed 11 errors Sunday while Colorado Mesa University procured 22 total hits on the afternoon, allowing the Mavericks to sweep the Skyhawks on the opening day of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, 11-4 and 10-2.
Alyssa Gutierrez had three hits and also stole one base to lead FLC’s offense on the day.
Mesa then won the third game of the series on Monday, 4-3, despite Alex Tenorio blasting a solo home run for FLC.
In Game 4, however, Kayla Stone hit a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the seventh inning to help the Skyhawks notch their first RMAC win, 6-4, and avoid the sweep.
“Opening conference play was a roller coaster,” head coach Dwight Sanders said. “We saw some good, bad and ugly. I'm proud of the girls for making an adjustment and sneaking out with a win today. While we wanted both of those games to fall our way, we can still feel good taking a win away from a quality team like (Colorado Mesa). For not being able to practice outside at all, and having to deal with some adversity early on, I would say the girls are doing well. It's all a part of the process, and we will look to take the next step at home against Mines next week.”
Mesa took the early lead in Game 4 after Miranda Pruitt hit a solo homer. FLC responded in the top of the third when Sloan Shotten hit a two-run home run over the left field fence, putting FLC up 2-1.
Cat Rodman scored on an Izzy Giroux fielder’s choice to extend the lead to 3-1 in the fourth, but Mesa took the lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Trailing 4-3, Fort Lewis opened the top of the seventh with back-to-back outs, but Shotton singled to keep the inning alive. Stone then stepped up to the plate and was down to her final strike with two outs, before coming through with a two-run homer to center field to recapture the lead, 5-4. A pair of back-to-back singles and an error by the Mavs then allowed Rodman to score an insurance run. FLC kept Mesa from scoring in the bottom of the frame to win the game, 6-4.
Amiee Shanks threw all seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three to get her second complete game and second win on the year.
FLC is now 3-8 overall and 1-3 in the RMAC. Mesa improved to 5-7, 3-1.
FLC will play its first home games at Aspen Field, hosting Colorado School of Mines (5-5, 4-0) for a four-game series Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at noon while action will start at 11 a.m. Sunday.
