TURLOCK, CALIF. – The young Cal State Bakersfield softball team did some growing up Saturday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from No. 3 ranked Cal State Stanislaus, 3-1 and 8-5 at Warrior Field in Turlock.

Bakersfield (14-11, 11-7 CCAA) used solid pitching from senior Kristyn Daniels (West Torrance HS) and an opportunistic offense to win the first game. They then bounced back from allowing five unearned runs by riding Pikake Nutter-Gaudet's (Taft College) first collegiate home run—a grand slam—to a come-from-behind victory in the nightcap.

Daniels (10-4) was the story in game one. She allowed just four hits to the powerful Warrior offense, losing the shutout in the seventh inning when her defense opened the frame by making consecutive errors. Daniels fanned four and walked only one.

Cara Klein's (San Joaquin Memorial HS) RBI ground ball in the fourth inning gave the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead. Klein then scored a much-needed insurance run on Stanislaus' sixth error of the game in the seventh inning. Bethany Snow (Agoura Hills/Bethany College) squeezed home Bakersfield final run.

A Carrie Hilvers (Bakersfield Christian HS) run-scoring single staked freshman starter Katie Chavez (Fresno/Edison HS) to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game two. But the Roadrunner defense went south in the third inning, making consecutive errors to open the frame and setting the table for Jennifer Arnold, who capped the five-run outburst with her fifth home run of the season.

But the 'Runners had a big rally of their own waiting for Stanislaus. A key error opened the door and a passed ball allowed Hilvers to score to begin the fifth inning.

Nikki DeLeon came on in relief of starter Omaira Estremera and promptly hit Klein to load the bases for Nutter-Gaudet, who cleared the bases with a grand slam home run to left field to give Bakersfield a 6-5 lead.

Klein would add a two-run single in the seventh inning to close out the scoring.

Freshman pitcher Shauna Truan (McArthur/Fall River HS) came in to protect the lead and threw three innings of no-hit ball to earn her first save as Chavez picked up her first collegiate victory.

While Nutter-Gaudet's big blow highlighted the Roadrunner offensive output, Hilvers led the way by going 4-for-8 and scoring three runs in the doubleheader. Klein finished the day 2-for-6, scoring a pair of runs and driving in three.

Bakersfield and Stanislaus will conclude their four-game season series with a doubleheader Sunday afternoon in Turlock.

BATTERIES: Daniels and Nutter-Gaudet; Gaumnitz, DeLeon (5) and School. WP – Kristyn Daniels (10-4). LP – Jessica Gaumnitz (9-1).
HITTERS: CSUB: Cara Klein 1x3, GW RBI; Elise Deering 1x3, run. CSS: Jessica Scholl 1x3, RBU.

BATTERIES: Chavez, Truan (5) and Nutter-Gaudet; Estremera, DeLeon (5), Arnold (6) and Stephenson, School (6). WP – Katie Chavez (1-1). LP – Omaira Estremera (6-5). Sv – Shauna Truan (1)
HITTERS: CSUB: Pikake Nutter-Gaudet 1x4, GS HR (1); Carrie Hilvers 3x4, 2 runs, RBI, SB; Kianna Urbanski 2x4; Cara Klein 1x3, run, 2 RBI. CSS: Jennifer Arnold 1x3, HR (5), 3 RBI.