The Fort Lewis College softball team had a remarkable turnaround midway through its season. After starting 0-14 before, FLC closed out the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference portion of its schedule with enough gusto to make the RMAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed.
After going 1-3 against Regis University in its final series of the regular season over the weekend, Fort Lewis secured the No. 6 seed and is now 20-29 overall and 20-20 in the league. Regis improved to 34-21 on the year and 28-12 in conference play to secure to the No. 3 seed.
FLC and Regis split Friday’s games, with Regis taking the first game 2-0, but FLC rallying to win the second 4-2. Jadyn Gilley drove home two runs in the win, while Hailie Mann gave up two earned runs in a complete game on the mound.
In two close games Saturday, Regis prevailed 12-7 and 3-1. In the first game, Fort Lewis had a chance to pull within one in the sixth inning when Sloan Shotton singled up the middle to set up a play at the plate. Gilley appeared to slide under the tag, but the umpire disagreed and the score held at 9-7. Regis then padded its lead with three runs in the top of the seventh.
Fort Lewis will now head to the RMAC Tournament, which will begin Thursday at the high seed’s home – Colorado Mesa (43-7, 35-3). The Skyhawks are unofficially slated to face No. 3 seed Regis University first. Colorado Christian (46-8, 34-4) will be the No. 2 seed. MSU Denver (35-20, 23-15) scored the No. 4 seed, and UCCS (26-22, 24-16) will be the No. 5.
Playing in the home finale Saturday, the Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse team earned a 15-14 win over CSU Pueblo to secure the No. 4 seed for the RMAC tournament.
Haley Dostie led FLC with five goals and two assists, followed by a four-goal, one-assist effort from Liv Crawford. Ellie Martinez had three goals and one assist. Caprietta Abbadessa and Dostie had three ground balls apiece. Autumn Rymerson led all players with seven draw controls.
Crawford’s fourth goal gave FLC a 15-12 lead, but Pueblo scored a pair of late goals.
The RMAC tournament will begin Friday at No. 1 Regis (17-0, 12-0). Colorado Mesa (12-5, 10-2) is the No. 2 seed, followed by UCCS (11-6, 8-4) and FLC (5-11, 5-7).
The Fort Lewis College men's and women's track teams competed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships on Friday through Sunday in Pueblo.
Katie Fankhouser led FLC in the 1,500-meters with an eighth-place finish in 4:46.71.
Krista Benze ran in the 400-meter hurdles with a 12th-place finish in 1:07.63.
In the 10K, Esther Beck led the women's team with an eighth-place finish in 41:07.03 Ricky Trejo paced the men's team at 14th place in 32:22.10.
Fankhouser also finished ninth in the 800 (2:25.50).
Carmella Wright (11:57.63) and Peyton Burnside (14:08.64) finished in ninth and 13th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In the men's steeplechase, Ethan Bartlett led the Skyhawks with a 14th-place finish in 9:53.54.
Brady Burrough led the men in 800, placing 12th in 1:57.75.
Angel Curley placed 11th in the 5,000 in 19:20.29. Madeline Shoemaker followed with a time of 20:44.03, which was good for 14th place.
