BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? There were story lines aplenty as the CSUB softball team celebrated senior day Sunday at the Roadrunner Softball Complex. The most significant proved to be about the weather.
Visiting Utah Valley University found it couldn't escape Snow in sizzling Bakersfield.
Senior rightfielder Bethany Snow, in her final at bat in her final collegiate home game, drilled the first pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning just inside the leftfield pole for a walk?off home run to help CSUB complete a 4?2, 5?4 sweep of UVU.
All four Roadrunner seniors played significant roles in helping CSUB make a remarkable climb back to .500 (19?19 overall) with nine games remaining in its first full NCAA Division I season. Snow's home run merely put the finishing touch on a four?run rally in the final two innings that turned near tragedy into triumph.
Senior centerfielder Pikake Nutter?Gaudet began the 'Runner rally in the sixth inning by drilling a two?run double off the wall in right centerfield. Senior catcher Hilary Taylor tied the game by driving home Nutter?Gaudet with a two?out double of her own.
Senior second baseman Cara Klein did her part by hitting safely in both games?including her sixth double of the season?while driving in an important insurance run late in the first game.
Freshman pitcher Brittany Johnson didn't need much support to earn her 12th victory of the season in the opener. Johnson scattered six hits, fanned three and didn't walk a batter in the complete game effort. She made one mistake, which UVU designated player Heidi Stocks jumped on for her fifth home run of the season, but otherwise was in control.
A Nutter?Gaudet RBI double and a run?scoring single from Taylor staked CSUB to a 2?0 lead in the second inning. Nette Puente doubled home a run in the fifth and Klein brought her in to complete the CSUB scoring.
Like Johnson in game one, sophomore pitcher Shawna Truan pitched well in game two save for one mistake. Stocks again made her pay with a three?run shot to deep right center in the third inning.
Nutter?Gaudet helped CSUB respond with yet another RBI double in the fourth. UVU restored its three?run lead with an unearned run in the fifth inning, but the 'Runner fireworks began in the bottom sixth and the rest, along with the home collegiate careers of Klein, Nutter?Gaudet, Snow and Taylor is as they say, history.
CSUB will close out its first full NCAA Division I schedule with a nine?game road trip. The 'Runners open a three?game series at New Mexico State Saturday in Las Cruces.
UVU (8?25) returns home to host crosstown rival BYU Apr. 16.
| TEAMS | 123
| 456
| 7
| --
| R
| H
| E
|
Utah Valley Univ.
| 000
| 000
| 2
| --
| 2
| 6
| 1
|
CSU Bakersfield
| 020
| 020
| x
| --
| 4
| 8
| 0 |
BATTERIES: Bramwell and Steadman; Johnson and Taylor. WP ? Brittany Johnson (12-9). LP ? Alli Bramwell (8-10).
2B ? Puente (B), Archuleta (B), Nutter-Gaudet (B). HR ? Stocks (UV, #5).
TEAMS (RECORDS)
| 123
| 456
| 7
| --
| R
| H
| E
|
Utah Valley Univ. (8-25 overall)
| 003
| 001
| 0
| --
| 4
| 6
| 1
|
CSU Bakersfield (19-19 overall)
| 000
| 103
| 1
| --
| 5
| 7
| 3
|
No on, no outs when winning run scored
BATTERIES: Bramwell and Steadman; Truan, Chavez and Taylor. WP ? Katie Chavez (3-3). LP ? Alli Bramwell (8-11).
2B ? Klein (B), Nutter-Gaudet (B) 2, Taylor (B), Woodworth (UV). HR ? Snow (B, #3), Stocks (UV, #6).
