The Fort Lewis College softball team and Adams State University split the first two games of their four-game series Friday. Adams State rallied to win the first game in extra innings, 10-8, but FLC jumped out to a 6-0 lead in Game 2 and held on to win it, 7-4.
The win was FLC’s first of the season and first under new head coach Dwight Sanders.
In Game 2, the Skyhawks hit the ball hard, and Adams made three errors in the first inning, helping FLC to a 2-0 lead. Jadyn Gilley reached base on an error and scored on a mishandled Sydney Stewart grounder. After a long at-bat, Hannah Rutherford smacked a base hit up the middle to bring Stewart home.
FLC added a run in the third after three consecutive singles from Cara Daugherty, Jaden Blaise Redus and Taylor Beaman.
In the fourth, the Skyhawks scored three runs to go up 6-0. Gilley walked. Rutherford singled and took second base on the throw to third. Cat Rodman brought runners home with a liner into center field. Rutherford then came up with another big hit, tripling to the fence to score Rodman.
The teams traded runs in the fifth, with Adams getting an unearned run and Katie Pippel hitting an RBI single to score Alex Tenorio.
The Grizzlies made some more noise in the sixth, scoring three runs to cut the lead to 7-4, despite FLC turning a 4-3-2 double play to get runner out at home.
Adams loaded the bases in the seventh, but with one out and the go-ahead runner at bat, shortstop Tenorio made a diving catch to her left and flipped the ball to second base for a game-sealing double play.
Hailie Man got the win for FLC, giving up two earned runs in 6.1 innings of work while striking out five. Amiee Shanks got the final two outs.
The Skyhawks nearly won the first game as well after taking a 6-5 lead into the seventh, but Adams rallied to win it in the eighth, 10-8.
The game had seven lead changes, beginning when the Grizzlies doubled in a run in the first.
FLC took a 2-1 lead in the second. Katie Pippel hit an RBI single to score Breanna Baca and then, with the bases loaded, Gilley walked to bring home Redus.
Adams scored twice in the third to go up 3-2.
FLC then fought back with two runs in the fourth. Beaman and Redus both singled and then scored on a Tenorio triple to the right-center fence.
In the fifth, Adams’ Jade Garbiso homered over the center field fence to tie the game. Maria Madrid then hit an RBI single to give ASU a 5-4.
The Skyhawks answered in the sixth. Rodman hit an infield single, Rutherford walked, and Redus singled to score both, giving FLC a 6-5 lead.
With their backs against the wall, Adams found the tying run in the seventh. Breck Smith singled to start the inning, Andrea Cline got hit by a pitch. Smith stole third and was called out, but the umpire reversed the decision. She scored when an attempted back pick went into the outfield. Catcher Beaman, however, threw out a runner trying to steal second, and second baseman Redus threw out a Grizzly at the plate.
The Skyhawks drew a walk and hit a single in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t score, so the game went into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Adams reached on an error to start the inning. With two walks and two hit batters, Adams was able to score four, getting a 2-RBI single from Sydney Muniz and a 2-RBI double from Angeline Mitchell.
Then it was Fort Lewis’ turn to rally. Gilley singled and took second on an error by the right fielder. Stewart hit a bloop single into the outfield, and Rodman hit a bloop into shallow right field to lead the bases. Rutherford brought Gilley home with a fielder’s choice, and Stewart scored on a passed ball.
The next two Skyhawks, however, struck out to end the threat.
FLC is now 1-14 overall, and Adams is 4-11.
The teams are scheduled to play twice on Saturday, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
