Fort Lewis College split two games Friday in St. George, Utah, and the win provided a big celebration for the Skyhawks.
The Skyhawks raced out to a 5-0 lead against Dominican in its second game of the Dixie State tournament. But FLC allowed three runs in the top of the seventh inning that tied the game at 5-5 going to the bottom of the seventh.
Slugger Angelique Elemen blasted a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the seventh to send FLC (1-7) to a 6-5 victory against Dominican (1-5).
The celebration was short-lived, as FLC fell 11-3 in five innings to Hawaii-Hilo in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader.
In the win against Dominican, Kellsi Peterson was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in. Mandy Lorenson (1-2) pitched the team to a win from the circle. She allowed seven hits and five runs but only two earned in seven innings. She struck out nine and issued two walks.
Julia Roberts had a big RBI double in the fourth inning, and Peterson followed with a two-run double.
Kassidy Trumbo (0-2) took the loss in the circle for FLC against Hawaii-Hilo. She pitched three innings and allowed eight hits and six earned runs. She walked three batters and struck out two. Kelly Decker came on in relief and allowed five earned runs and three hits in one inning. She struck out one and walked two.
Elemen homered again in the game for her third consecutive game with a homer. That gave FLC a 1-0 lead in the first. FLC took a 2-1 lead in the third on a double from Lauren Caldwell that scored Elemen, but the Skyhawks would surrender 10 runs before an Elemen double scored Denae Fisher in the fifth inning.
Saturday, FLC will finish the tournament in Utah with a 10 a.m. game against Northwest Nazarene followed by a 3 p.m. start against Western Washington.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
