Eric R. Flores
The Paw Print
A walk off grand slam by redshirt freshman Kristen Payne in the first game and a walk-off homer for senior Jaycee Lovato, her second in as many days, in the second game helped the Grizzlies sweep a crucial Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader with two run-rule 6-inning wins at the ASC Softball Field on Sunday.
Payne’s grand slam of the first of her career and the first of two during the doubleheader as the Grizzlies won Game 11-1. The second one came in the second game in the bottom of the sixth inning and was a 2-run shot that started a back-to-back-to-back home run show for ASC as they won Game 2 13-5. Freshman Stephanie Dunham nailed her second homer in the series before Lovato capped it off in walk-off fashion. Lovato’s homer was the second of the game, her first, a 3-run shot, came in her previous at bat in the fifth inning.
The day started quickly for the Grizzlies (25-20, 27-15 RMAC) as sophomore Katelyn Lovato hit the second pitch she saw up the middle for a single before freshman Carly DeLorenzo hit the very first pitch she saw for a triple to left center, she would score two batters later on a wild pitch to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.
Senior starting pitcher Sarah Lindquist did not allow a single hit until the top of the fourth when Fort Lewis (11-22, 10-18 RMAC) as able to string two hits together and crack the scoreboard.
No other runs were scored until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Grizzlies were able to throw up a nine spot. ASC got it started with junior Lizzy Schossow batting and drawing a 10-pitch walk before Payne nailed a double to right center. Dunham followed that up with an RBI single to left field before Jaycee Lovato hit an RBI single to centerfield. After freshman Tayler Else moved Lovato over to second base, pinch hitter Jennie Archambault struck out and it appeared that the rally would be over. However, the Skyhawks were careful to Katelyn Lovato, who leads the conference with a .531 batting average, as she drew a 5-pitch walk to load the bases. DeLorenzo continued her hot hitting as she nailed a 2-2 pitch to right center to score two runs. DeLorenzo stole second base while Rebecca Lindquist and Schossow each drew walks to set up Payne’s grand slam.
Sarah Lindquist, who only allowed the one walk on three hits and two walks, got her 16th win of the season.
Fort Lewis cracked the scoreboard first in the second game as they used a suicide squeeze to score their run; however, Rebecca Lindquist hit her first double of the game to score DeLorenzo from second base before Lindquist scored two batters later on a wild pitch.
After reaching on a throwing error, Else was able to score on a Katelyn Lovato single n the second inning before Fort Lewis tallied two runs in the top of the third inning on a Kayla Bruner homer. Adams State retaliated and took a 4-3 lead in the bottom half of the inning when Dunham hit an RBI single through the left side.
The Skyhawks the hit another two run homer off the bat of Destinee DeHerrera to take a 5-4 lead.
Despite having a strong game where she allowed five runs on five hits and three walks, senor pitcher Rachel Lovato nabbed a no decision for her four innings of work.
The Grizzlies put up five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and it was started quickly as DeLorenzo took the 1-1 pitch and blasted it to deep centerfield. The ball was just centimeters away from being her second homer of the season, however it clanged off the top of the fence and bounced back into the field of play, and the speed of DeLorenzo netted the sixth triple of the season.
Lindquist then took the first pitch she saw for an RBI double up the middle to give her 22 on the season. The 22 doubles moves her into second place on the RMAC single-season doubles record chart, just one away from tying the record of 23. Payne continued the rally as she hit a single to center field to bring Lindquist across the place, and a Dunham single allowed Lovato to hit a three run blast to centerfield.
In the sixth inning with two outs, Schossow doubled to center to set up the back-to-back-to-back homers as the Grizzlies won.
Sarah Lindquist three two innings of shutout ball as she only allowed one hit in two innings of work as she got her conference-leading 17th win of the season.
Payne, who had six 2-out RBI on the day, took over the conference lead in the category as she has 23 on the season. She finished the weekend with a .500 batting average (7-for-14) with three homers and nine RBI.
The Giizzlies will continue RMAC play as they travel to Colorado Springs to take on the UC-Colorado Springs Mountain Lions on Friday; first pitch is scheduled for noon.
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