BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. ? The NCAA Division I era of CSUB softball started off with a bang, but Western Athletic Conference contender San Jose State stormed back to spoil the Roadrunners' opener, 8?3, Friday in the first game of a four-game weekend series.
Bakersfield jumped out to leads of 1-0 and 3-1 before the Spartans scored four in the fifth and three more in the sixth to put the game away.
Both teams got production from the bottom of their lineups. The Roadrunners took an early lead when a double by freshman Brooklyn Stuart set the table for a perfect squeeze bunt by sophomore shortstop and No. 9 hitter Kristen Archuleta in the second inning. San Jose answered in the top of the third when Sarah Taylor drove home No. 9 hitter Ashley Wagner with a triple off the base of the fence in leftfield.
CSUB retook the lead thanks to a pair of Spartan fielding miscues in the bottom of the third. Nette Puente opened the frame with single in front of a Bethany Snow walk. Cara Klein followed with a foul popup to the third base side. Third baseman Kayla Hayes made a fine running catch for the out but carried the ball out of play, allowing Puente to score. Hilary Taylor followed with a routine grounder that went through the legs of shortstop Kelli Fangonilo to plate Snow.
With the 'Runners holding a two?run lead, freshman pitcher Bethany Johnson ran out of gas in the fifth. She allowed back-to-back home runs to No. 8 hitter Kasey Igarta and Wagner to lead off the inning. Designated player Sarah Smith capped the four-run rally with a double to deep centerfield.
Sophomore Shauna Truan relieved Johnson to start the sixth inning. But then it was the Roadrunner defense's turn to be generous. The 'Runners made three errors behind Truan as three unearned runs crossed the plate. Katie Chavez pitched a perfect seventh for CSUB, but the damage had been done.
The Spartans, meanwhile, got an outstanding relief effort from junior Deanna Mauer. Mauer came on in relief of starter Roxanne Bejarano in the fourth inning and shut the door. She retired nine consecutive batters until Stuart reached on a throwing error to lead off the CSUB seventh. It was the only baserunner she allowed.
CSUB and San Jose State will continue their four-game series with a doubleheader Saturday at the Roadrunner Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Score by Innings R H E
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San Jose State...... 001 043 0 - 8 11 2
CSU Bakersfield..... 012 000 0 - 3 5 3
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E - FANGONILO 2(2); BAILEY(1); KELIN 2(2). DP - 'RUNNERS 1. LOB - SJSU 6; 'RUNNERS
5. 2B - SMITH(1); STUART(1). 3B - TAYLOR(1). HR - IGARTA(1); WAGNER(1). SH -
WAGNER(1); ARCHULETA(1). SF - KELIN(1). SB - TAYLOR; FANGONILO(1).
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