GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines finished off its series sweep of Fort Lewis, pounding 21 runs to extend its winning streak to seven games.
Mines won the opener, 10-3, before using a nine-run fourth inning to win 11-3 in five innings in game two. The Orediggers (7-3, 4-0 RMAC) combined for 25 hits over the two games led by Sonona Toot (4-for-5, 3 RBI),
Pua Fujinaga (4 RBI), and home runs by
Katie Leiker and
Clara Larson.
The series sweep was Mines' first in a four-game set since 2014 against New Mexico Highlands. Mines' seven-game win streak is its longest since a 12-gamer in 2013. For the series, Mines scored 47 runs, hit .456, and slugged .796.
GAME 1 - Mines 10, Fort Lewis 3
A five-run fifth inning broke open a close game as Mines won the morning opener 10-3.
Katie Leiker drove in three runs with
Sonoma Toot and
Pua Fujinaga knocking in two apiece to lead Mines at the plate. Toot's triple in the first inning got things going as she scored
Paige Noehring, and her sacrifice fly in the third brought home
Clara Larson to double the lead in the third. Leiker then launched a homer to left center to make it 3-0.
Fort Lewis tied it up in the fourth, however, manufacturing three runs off two Mines errors, but their lead didn't last long. In the bottom of the frame, Leiker singled home Larson to retake the lead, and Mines piled on from there.
Boston Ludlow scored on a throwing error in the fifth to make it 5-3, and Leiker,
Kara Jones, and Fujinaga smacked back-to-back-to-back doubles in the sixth to scored four runs before Noehring's sac fly capped the scoring.
Mines combined all three of its pitchers with
Maddie Rogers throwing three innings in the start.
Claire Stringfellow (4-1) got the win with an inning of relief and
Hallie Smith earned her second save as she threw three scoreless innings. Fort Lewis used four hurlers with reliever Madison Stanich (1-5) taking the loss.
GAME 2 - Mines 11, Fort Lewis 3 (5 inn.)
A nine-run fourth innings erased a Fort Lewis lead as Mines came from behind to win 11-3 in a run-rule game.
Hallie Smith (2-2) threw a three-run complete game to earn the win and Larson's three RBI led Mines at the plate. The Skyhawks went ahead in the first with RBI singles from Angelique Elemen and Lauren Caldwell, but Mines tied it in the bottom of half of the inning with Larson's sacrifice fly to plate
Dani Valerio and
Boston Ludlow's bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
In the fourth, Adriana Rosthenhausler tripled home Kassidy Buis to give the Skyhawks a 3-2 lead, but it wouldn't last long. Valerio led off with a walk before Larson smashed her second home run of the series to left, giving Mines a 5-3 lead. Things quickly got away from the skyhawks as Fujinaga's bases-loaded single scored Leiker and Toot before
Kelsey Buechler brought in
Stefanie Brunello and Noehring doubled in Fujinaga. Batting around, Valerio singled in two more runs and Toot's base hit to plate Valerio gave Mines the eight-run advantage.
Smith and the Mines defense then worked a solid fifth as the Orediggers turned a 6-4-3 double play to negate a lead-off walk and Noehring snagged a liner in center to end the game.
Kelley Decker (0-4) took the loss in the start, allowing eight earned. Megan Redd finished the fourth and gave up three runs for FLC.
NEXT UP
Mines will host Regis on Saturday for two beginning at noon.
