Angelique Elemen continued her record-breaking season on Saturday as she became the all-time leader in career doubles with 45, and helped the Fort Lewis College softball team split a Saturday doubleheader against Regis and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, but lost both games on Sunday at UCCS Mountain Lion Field.
The Skyhawks (9-24, 4-16 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) turned to Elemen, who had five hits on Saturday and was a perfect 4-for-4 in a comeback win against Regis. In the first game against the Rangers, Elemen hit a two-run home run in the first inning to get FLC on the board. The Rangers responded by taking a 6-3 lead in the fifth inning, but FLC responded with three in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at six. Pilar Gutierrez singled to right to score Elemen and Dana Dwyer, which tied the game. In the bottom of the sixth, FLC added three runs, and Elemen hit an RBI single to left-center field to score Hannah Gondini, which gave the Skyhawks the lead for good. Dwyer then singled to score Elemen and Taylor Hollestelle to make it 9-6.
In the top of the seventh, the Rangers threatened and added one run, but Emily Morris came on in relief to close it out for the 9-7 win. Elemen finished with three RBIs and three runs scored.
In the second game on Saturday, FLC took a 4-1 lead but UCCS stormed back to win in extra innings.
Elemen broke the program record when she ripped a double to right field and tied the game at one, which was followed by a two-run shot from McKenna Hefley to make it 3-1. Kaitlyn Barlow added the fourth and final run on a solo home run in the fourth inning to make it 4-1.
UCCS tied the game after it capitalized on an error and it went to extras. In the bottom of the eighth, UCCS got on board with an error with one on and one out, which moved a runner to second. Taylor White singled to left field with two outs and drove in the winning run and UCCS won, 5-4. Kassidy Trumbo went the distance and took the loss (2-7) and tallied three strikeouts for FLC.
On Sunday, the Skyhawks lost both games in shortened innings. UCCS won the first game 13-5 in six innings, and Regis won the second game 9-1 in five innings. In the first game against the Mountain Lions, FLC got off to a quick 2-0 lead after Dwyer hit a two-run home run to center field. That was the only lead FLC had all day, as UCCS’ (14-16, 10-8 RMAC) offense took over as it scored 12 of its 13 runs starting in the third.
In the second game, the Rangers (11-9, 8-6 RMAC) hit three home runs, which included a three-run home run in the fourth inning from Carly Beard to make it 8-1. Elemen had the only RBI of the game for FLC when she drove in Taylor Beaman in the third inning.
Fort Lewis will host its first series of the year against UCCS and Colorado School of Mines at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday at Aspen Field and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
bploen@durangoherald.com
