DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University Ranger softball team hosted a pod series in their last regular season home weekend. The Rangers cruised to a 10-2 game one win over the Fort Lewis Skyhawks but could not muster a big enough comeback in game two and fell 10-9 to the Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves.

Game 1 – Regis 10 Fort Lewis 2 (5 innings)

The Rangers outhit the Skyhawks 12-5 scoring at least one run in each of the five innings. On the mound for RU, Nicole Aviles sat down the lead-off batter and the Regis defense took care of the next two.

RU would put up a three-spot in the bottom of the first on three hits to own an early 3-0 lead. Nicole Hull singled to right field and tallied two of her three RBIs scoring Rachel Illias and Bradey King who both reached on walks. Hull found herself in a pickle and was picked off on the next play but all the commotion of that allowed Macy Cox to steal home.

A two-run home run by Fort Lewis in the top of the second would end up being their only runs of the game. In the bottom of the second, Cox recorded her seventh double of the year and an RBI. Hull then tallied yet another RBI, on two outs, with a single up the middle that scored Cox.

Aviles and the Ranger defense forced the Skyhawks to six batters and six outs through the next two innings. A double from Emily John in the bottom of the third gave Regis a 6-2 lead. Another two runs in the bottom of the fourth off a two-RBI home run from Aviles over the right field fence pushed the lead even further, 8-2.

RU defense continued to hold Fort Lewis scoreless through the remainder of the game and added two more to the board to enforce the run-rule on a double from King. This was the second straight game in which the Rangers recorded nine RBIs. 

Aviles faced 21 batters and sat down five of them to earn the win and improve to an overall record of 12-7. King, Cox, Hull and Delaney McGinn all went 2-for-3 at the plate. 

Game 2 – CSU-Pueblo 10 Regis 9 

From the start, the Rangers dug themselves a hole falling behind 6-0 to the ThunderWolves. Two more in the top of the second gave the visitors an 8-0 lead but the Rangers turned it around in the bottom half of the inning.

Aviles knocked a lead-off double to center to get things started as Regis would do all their scoring on just one out. Three singles, a double, a fielder's choice and a three-RBI home run over left field from Aviles to cap off the offensive explosion brought RU back to life as they held a slight 9-8 lead.

CSU-Pueblo responded in the top of the third with what would prove to be the game-winning runs. Throughout the remainder of the game, Regis was unable to gain any sort of momentum and combined to leave five runners on base. 

Aviles led in the box going 2-for-3, tallied three RBIs and notched two more home runs on the season for eight total. The Rangers did not commit a single error throughout both games of the day.

Regis will host the second day of pod action Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. 2 p.m.