The Fort Lewis College softball team overcame a 5-3 loss to Adams State on Sunday to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship with a 5-2 victory over the Grizzlies in Golden.
Fort Lewis (28-24-1) won its first RMAC title and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II tournament in San Angelo, Texas, next week.
In the RMAC’s double-elimination format, Adams State had to play three games Sunday. The Grizzlies started with a 14-8 victory over Nebraska-Kearney and followed with their victory over Fort Lewis. But the Skyhawks, who had gone undefeated in the bracket before Sunday, redeemed themselves in the rematch.
Fort Lewis junior pitcher Cary Moone was selected the tournament’s MVP.
DU men in NCAA field.
The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and will play Maryland in a first- round game Saturday in College Park, Md.
DU (10-6) will make its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Pioneers were eliminated from the 2006 tournament by a loss to Maryland.
DU recently lost to Ohio State in the semifinals of the Great Western Lacrosse League tournament. The Buckeyes and Notre Dame, another GWLL member, also qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
• The DU women’s lacrosse team will learn whether it has received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when pairings are announced today.
Redbirds sweep Sky Sox.
The Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League twice used seventh- inning rallies to sweep a doubleheader from the visiting Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
In the first game, resumed after a postponement from Friday, Colorado Springs right fielder Chris Fey hit a leadoff double in the ninth inning but was stranded as Memphis held on for a 4-3 victory. Center fielder Cory Sullivan hit a solo homer in the first inning to give the Sky Sox an early lead.
In the second game, scheduled for seven innings, David Freese hit a walk-off single to right field that scored D’Angelo Jimenez and capped a three-run, final-inning rally, giving Memphis a 3-2 victory.
Outlaws await scrimmage with Riptide.
The Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse are gearing up for the 2008 season. The Outlaws, led by newly acquired attackman Ryan Powell, a two-time MLL most valuable player, play the Los Angeles Riptide in a scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. at Invesco Field at Mile High. Admission is free. The Outlaws’ season opener against visiting L.A. is May 17 at 7 p.m., following the state championship game for boys lacrosse.
Falcons fall to Aztecs in baseball.
San Diego State used an eight-run sixth inning to break away for a 14-6 victory over Air Force in a Mountain West Conference game at Falcon Field. Air Force (16-28, 2-15 MWC) received two hits apiece from Nathan Carter, Chay Derbigny, Ben Ausbun and Daniel Walker.
