DURANGO, Colo. – Chadron State softball found itself on the wrong side of two pitcher's duels, falling 3-1 and 1-0 to the Fort Lewis Skyhawks in the first half of a four-game series held in Durango on Saturday. 

The Eagles (4-39, 4-30 RMAC) could only manage four hits in each game off starters Hailie Mann and Chloe Padilla, who each earned complete-game wins for Fort Lewis (10-34, 9-25 RMAC). Brynn Trujillo hit a solo home run in game one for CSC's only run. 

The results bring CSC's total to 16 RMAC losses this year by two runs or fewer (nine one-run losses, seven two-run losses). Chadron State has now lost 17 in a row.

Eagle starters Belle Akins and McKenna Sides each threw all six innings as neither team used a reliever during Saturday's doubleheader. Akins conceded three runs (just one earned) on nine hits, walking only one and striking out seven. Sides scattered eight hits and did not walk a batter, allowing a single run to cross in the fifth.

Tiffani Mein was CSC's most productive offensive player, going 3-for-3 in three plate appearances across the two games. No other Eagle had more than one hit across the doubleheader, while Trujillo's homer was the team's only extra-base hit. 

Despite being kept off the scoreboard in game two, the Eagles arguably had a more productive offensive game in the nightcap. While the Eagles had four hits in both games, CSC worked three walks to create additional baserunners in the second game after zero in game one. 

The Eagles also tied a single-game season high in game two with three stolen bases as a team. Elia DeLozier, Sydney Lowery and Katelynn Czerpak all swiped a bag and CSC did not get thrown out stealing. 

In game one, Akins gave up a run in the third, but still escaped what could have been a huge inning. A double, walk and single loaded the bases with nobody out, but Akins rallied with a strikeout. 

Fort Lewis singled to center, scoring a run, but Czerpak threw out the runner trying to go from first to third for a key second out in the inning. Akins retired the next batter on a popout to the infield.

Chadron State tied the score when Trujillo homered to center field. The blast was not only Trujillo's first career college home run, but also marked the freshman's first hit since February 22. Trujillo, who has pitched 88 innings for the Eagles this season, served as the designated player in both games Saturday and did not pitch.

Fort Lewis re-took the lead in the sixth. A leadoff error loomed large when Akins retired the next two batters, which would have ended the inning. The Skyhawks came through with multiple two-out hits, with a double down the left-field line and a single to center providing a two-run cushion that stood up. 

In game two, the teams remained scoreless until the fifth, when Fort Lewis manufactured a run with a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and two-out RBI knock by Skyler Dietz. 
Chadron State couldn't get anything going against Chloe Padilla, who improved her record to 2-15 and tied for the second-most strikeouts in a game by an RMAC pitcher this year by punching out 11 Eagle batters. 

The final two strikeouts came in the seventh inning. Chadron State had the go-ahead run in scoring position after Tiffani Mein singled and Sydney Lowery singled before Lowery and pinch-runner Elia DeLozier executed a daring double steal to put runners on second and third with one out. Padilla put the cherry on top of her outing, however, striking out Izzy Thomas and pinch-hitter Elizabeth Thorngren to end the game. 

Chadron State and Fort Lewis will continue their series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.