DURANGO, Colo. – Host Fort Lewis held MSU Denver to just three extra-base hits and did just enough damage offensively to sweep a Friday softball doubleheader, 6-4 and 4-2.
 
MSU Denver dropped to 29-16 overall and 17-11 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while Fort Lewis – making a bid for one of the six spots in the RMAC Tournament – improved to 14-25 and 14-16.
 
MSU Denver had been 17-1 against the Skyhawks dating to 2015, and had won 21 of 23 and 23 of the last 26 games against Fort Lewis dating to 2013.
 
"Overall, Fort Lewis competed harder than we did," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "Their hitters were ready to make the most of their opportunities and they were attacking. Credit to their pitchers also, they didn't try to do anything fancy. They changed speeds and pitched to contact. We couldn't do enough offensively to put pressure on them."

The Roadrunners took a 3-2 lead in the top of the second inning of the opener, scoring first on an unearned run and then moving ahead on Hannah DiFabio's two-run double.
 
But Fort Lewis scored three in the bottom of the second and added another in the third for a 6-3 lead. MSU Denver got a sacrifice fly from Miah Hartvigsen in the seventh but could get no closer.
 
DiFabio, Rebecca Gonzales and Kami Grammerstorf each had two hits.
 
The Roadrunners jumped ahead in the second game as well, on a two-run double by Jaiden Geist in the top of the first.
 
But again Fort Lewis answered immediately, with three in the bottom of the first and another in the second, and the Skyhawks held on.
 
DiFabio, Grammerstorf and Geist all had two hits for MSU Denver.
 
"Defensively we played really well," Van Wetzinga said. "Our infield made some nice plays and we were sharp in that phase of the game."

The series concludes with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.

"Hopefully tomorrow we can come out with some more competitive fire and fight and end the weekend on a positive note," Van Wetzinga said.