OMAHA, Neb. – A pair of eerily similar GPAC softball games tilted Hastings College's way in the latter stages on Wednesday.

In both games, College of Saint Mary took a one-run lead into the sixth inning.

In both games, Hastings tied it in the top of the sixth.

And in both games, the Broncos exploded with big seventh innings to notch the sweep.

Hastings won the Great Plains Athletic Conference contests by scores of 7-3 and 7-2 on a warm, windy day at the CSM complex.

"We have innings where we show what we can do and how good we can be,'' CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "But we can't sustain it or do it consistently. That's what's frustrating.''

Hastings improved to 15-22 overall and 6-14 in GPAC play, while CSM dropped to 8-29 and 4-16.

In the opener, CSM held a 3-2 lead through five innings. Amber Kosmicki had a first-inning, RBI single, and Adelia Dunlap smacked a two-run triple in the fourth, scoring Victoria Placzek, who had doubled, and Maycee Hays, who had singled.

However, Lauren Lee tied it with a homer in the sixth, her second of the game. The Broncos scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a close play at the plate, then a Kaylee Pinneo three-run homer opened some breathing room.

Kynzee McFadden, Kosmicki and Hays all had two hits in the opener. Ella Watts added a triple and Shaylynn Campbell a double.

In game two, Kosmicki again brought home CSM's first run with an RBI single. In the fifth inning, Kosmicki singled to drive in Kayla Reed, who had singled, to give the Flames a 2-1 lead.

The Broncos again tied it in the sixth and broke it open with five in the seventh. They scored all five runs after two were out, and the Flames made three errors during that stretch.

Bray said starting pitchers Campbell and McFadden probably deserved a little better on a day when the wind was blowing out hard to left.

"Both pitchers did really well,'' she said. "They had two hitters that beat us. They were hitting everything. Kudos to them.''

Bray said the Flames did a great job catching tricky fly balls, led by Dunlap in left.

"It was so tough with that wind,'' she said. "If you look at my list of positives after the game, like six of the positives are really tough catches.''

Watts joined Kosmicki with two hits in game two,

The Flames honored their lone senior, Reed, between games, and her father, Robert, threw out the first pitch to start the day.

"It was great to recognize Kayla,'' Bray said. "She's been so consistent for us for four years in the outfield. I know it's going to be caught out there. It's just whether it's going to be an average catch or an ESPN-type catch.''

CSM is scheduled to conclude GPAC play on Saturday with 1 and 3 p.m. games in Seward, Neb., against Concordia University.