GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks came out on both ends of a wild, and rather unusual roller coaster ride type of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader, winning the first game, 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh before giving up a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh of Game 2, falling 6-4 to visiting Fort Lewis College on Monday here at the CMU Softball Stadium.
 
Despite the doubleheader split, the Mavericks won the 4-game Sunday/Monday series with the Skyhawks, 3-1, and moved to 5-7 overall and to 3-1 in the RMAC.  FLC is now 3-8 overall and 1-3 in the RMAC but ended a 29-game losing streak to the Mavs since 2015 and an 8-game overall slide this season with the second game win.
 
Brandi Haller, Miranda Pruitt and Sarah Jorissen all hit game-tying or go-ahead homer run during throughout the day while Hannah Sattler split both decisions from inside the circle while tossing her fifth complete game of the season in the morning contest.
 
Game 1
 
Sattler and FLC starter Caydee Farnworth had a pitcher's duel for three innings before the Skyhawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a 1-out Alex Tenorio homer down the left field line, just their second hit of the day.
 
After an exchange of two more 1-2-3 half-innings, the Mavericks then tied the game in the bottom of the fifth as Haller hit a lead-off homer.
 
The Mavericks continued to pressure the Skyhawk defense as freshman Bella Aragon walked, stole second and moved to third on a deep Myah Arrieta fly out.  The Skyhawks then apparently got out of the inning on a Jorrisen pop up.  However, they dropped the fly, which allowed Aragon to score a go-ahead run putting Mavs up 2-1.
 
The Mavs then tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth as Pruitt doubled before pinch runner Makayla Westmoreland moved to third on a single by Aragon.  The Mavs then executed a first-and-third double steal.
 
However, the Skyhawks did not go away, tying the game with two outs in the top of the seventh on a Sloan Shotton line drive single and bobble in the outfield, which allowed Alyssa Gutierrez and Cara Daugherty to score game-tying runs.
 
Sattler then got out of the inning as the Mavs came to bat in the bottom of the seventh.  Arrieta and Jorissen both singled before Aislyn Sharp drew a 1-out walk to load the bases just two plays later.
 
Pruitt then delivered the game-winning RBI on a walk-off hit by pitch as relief pitcher Amiee Shanks plunked her on the knee.
 
Sattler earned the win after giving up just six hits and two earned runs while Arrieta had two of the Mavs' seven hits off Farnworth and Shanks, who entered in the bottom of the sixth only to be welcomed to the game by Pruitt's aforementioned double.
 
Game 2
 
The second game was also quiet in the early going before Pruitt hit her second homer in as many days to give the Mavs a 1-0 lead through two innings.
 
Shotton then answered back with a 2-run shot that drifted just over the left field fence in the third as the Skyhawks took a 2-1 lead through three.
 
They then added another run in the fourth to take a 3-1 advantage.
 
Things then turned wild and controversial in the bottom of the fifth as Pruitt reached on a lead-off error before her pinch-runner Dakota DiPaola apparently scored from first on a Haller bunt and wild throw.  However, the umpires ruled Haller out and DiPaola had to return to first base.
 
DiPaola did eventually score  after moving to second on a ground and third on a stolen base before pinch-hitter Ava Fugate brought her home on a low laser to right center.  However, Fugate was thrown out trying to extend her hit to a triple as the Skyhawks held on to a 3-2 lead through five innings.
 
Sattler, who had come in in relief of freshman starter Marissa Nehm at the start of the fifth, then had a 1-2-3 top of the sixth before an Aragon single and Jorissen 2-run homer gave the Mavericks a 4-3 lead after the top of the sixth.
 
Sattler then got the first two outs of the seventh before Shotton beat out an infield single, moments before Kayla Stone hit a full-count 2-run homer to give the Skyhawks a 5-4 lead.  They added another unearned run later in the inning as Shanks (2-1), retired three of the four Mavericks she faced in the bottom of the seventh to claim the wild, complete game win.
 
The Skyhawks finished the game with eight hits as the top four batters in the lineup went a combined 6-for-11 with five RBIs and five runs scored.
 
CMU was held to six hits from six different players.
 
Up Next
 
The Mavericks will remain at home for another series on Saturday and Sunday against Black Hills State (0-4, 0-4 RMAC)  Saturday's doubleheader is slated for Noon and Sunday's will commence at 1 p.m. 
 
Tickets will not be available online due to some system maintenance upgrades beginning on Thursday, but can still be purchased at the gate or at www.cmumavericks.com/tickets through Wednesday (Feb. 22).
 
All four games will also be streamed through the RMAC Network (www.cmumavericks.com/tv).