The freshman duo of Amiee Shanks and Hailie Mann in the circle, aided by timely hitting and energetic defense, led the Fort Lewis College softball team to a pair of wins over Metropolitan State University Denver on Friday.

FLC won the first game, 6-4, and the second game, 4-2.

In Game 1, Cat Rodman put the Skyhawks ahead with two outs in the bottom of the first, crushing a high inside pitch over the fence in left field for a 2-0 lead.

The Roadrunners rallied in the top of the second, scoring one run on an infield error. Two hitters later, MSU Denver sent a screaming liner down the left-field line to score two and take a 3-2 lead.

Fort Lewis charged back in the bottom of the second inning. Sloan Shotten hit an opposite field dinger over the left field fence to tie the game. Madyson Devers then hit a line drive to the gap in right-center and scored when Alex Tenorio went yard, putting the home team back ahead 5-3.

Starting pitcher Shanks wiped away a scoring threat in the top of the third, striking out a pair of Roadrunners looking.

Jadyn Gilley scored on a sacrifice fly to put FLC up 6-3 in the third.

In the sixth, the Roadrunners put the first two batters on base with singles before a foul out to Sydney Stewart saw one down. A walk loaded them up, but defense was behind Shanks in the circle. Katie Pippel snagged a shallow fly ball in right field and gunned down the runner attempting to score from third.

MSU scored a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but Shanks got a strike out to end the game.

In Game 2, MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. FLC, however, got those back and then some in the bottom of the frame. Tenorio and Pippel got on base with a single and double, and Gilley got a base hit to left-center to score the pair. Shotton sent the third run home moments later with a double through the left side for a 3-2 lead.

In the second, FLC added an insurance run when Gilley hit a double down the left-field line to bring home Tenorio.

Ensuing attacks from the Roadrunners were silenced by Mann, who painted the corners for a handful of strikeouts. In the seventh, Mann struck out the first batter she faced. After a single, the following batter sent a twirling shot back to Mann who secured the out at first base. Mann then struck out the final batter to secure the win. It was her eighth strikeout in the game, a career high.

Fort Lewis (14-25, 14-16 RMAC) and MSU Denver (29-16, 17-11) will play two more at Aspen Field on Saturday, with the first game starting at 11 a.m.