GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines began RMAC play with a doubleheader sweep of Fort Lewis, bringing out the bats to win 15-7 in 5 innings and 11-6.

The Orediggers won for the fifth consecutive outing as they pounded a combined 22 hits in the two games. Freshman shortstop Clara Larson had a monster day at the plate, going 5-for-6 with 5 runs, 5 RBI, and a home run, while Paige Noehring drove in five and Katie Leiker four.

GAME 1 - Mines 15, Fort Lewis 7 (5 inn.)
Paige Noehring's walk-off inside-the-park home run capped a wild opening game to give Mines a 15-7 run-rule win.

The Orediggers overcame five errors with 10 hits as Leiker, Boston Ludlow, and Loren Dempsey each drove in three runs. Mines put a five-spot on the board in their first at-bat as they quickly loaded the bases for Leiker to draw a walk and Kara Jones to bring in a run on a hit-by-pitch; Dempsey then cleared the bases with a double to make it 5-0.

The lead didn't last long as Fort Lewis matched Mines in the top of the second, with three runs scoring off errors. Mines again loaded the bases in the bottom of the second and Jones drew a walk before Ludlow doubled in three runs to lead 9-5.

Adriana Rosthenhausler's two-run double cut the lead to 9-7 in the top of the third, but Mines put three runs across in the bottom half with Sonoma Toot's single and Leiker's two-run double. Larson doubled in Dani Valerio in the fourth, making it 13-7, and that gave Mines a chance to end it in the fifth. After Dempsey singled to lead off the inning and Kara Walling pinch ran, Noehring roped a ball to the corner in right and the speedy senior turned the corner at the third and easily scored the home run.

Claire Stringfellow started for Mines and departed in the second inning allowing three earned; Maddie Rogers (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs but none earned in 3.2 innings. Fort Lewis combined four pitchers as starter Kelley Decker was chased in the first and reliever Olivia Goldberg (0-2) took the loss in getting two outs in the first. Olivia Bratt and Megan Redd split the remainder of the game.

GAME 2 - Mines 11, Fort Lewis 6
The second game of the day continued the offensive fireworks as Larson was a triple short of the cycle to lead Mines to a comeback win.

The two teams traded the lead before Larson's three-run double in the fourth gave Mines the lead for good. Hallie Smith and Stringfellow combined for the win, with Stringfellow (3-1) picking up the victory and Smith the save.

Both teams scored a run in the first as Angelique Elemen singled in a run for Fort Lewis and Toot's triple scored Larson for Mines. Rosthenhausler's double scored two in the second but Ludlow doubled in Stefanie Brunell and Noehring's sacrifice fly tied it 3-3 in the bottom half.

Elemen led off the third with a solo home run, and Kassidy Buis singled in a run to give FLC a 5-3 lead in the third, but Larson answered with a first-pitch home run in the third to cut the advantage to 5-4. That set Mines' big fourth inning as Larson smacked a bases-clearing double to take the lead. Allison Young brought a run back for FLC in the fifth on an RBI single, but Mines tacked on insurance runs in the fifth with Brielle Asato's bases-loaded walk and in the sixth with Leiker's solo home run and a two-run single from Noehring.

Smith started and re-entered the game, throwing 5.1 innings and allowing five earned with four strikeouts. Stringfellow (3-1) was the pitcher of record in middle relief, tossing 1.2 innings and allowing a run. The Skyhawks combined three pitchers with starter Madison Stanich (1-4) taking the loss.

NEXT UP
Mines and Fort Lewis finish their series with a doubleheader Monday beginning at 10 a.m.