OREM, Utah ? The CSUB softball team's quest to become the first team sport to post a winning record in the NCAA Division I era of Roadrunner Athletics came to an unexpected end Saturday as Utah Valley University completed a surprising four?game sweep of CSUB by taking both ends of a doubleheader, 11?5 and 5?4, at MSTAR Field.
The games were the season finales for CSUB (22?25 overall). Utah Valley improved to 16?32 with the sweep.
To finish above .500, CSUB entered the series needing only a split against a Utah Valley team that entered the weekend just 12?32. But the Wolverine bats caught fire, pounding out 28 runs, 48 hits and nine home runs in the series.
By comparison, No. 4 UCLA, No. 10 Fresno State and Loyola Marymount, three teams almost certain to reach the NCAA Tournament this season, combined for just 11 runs, 31 hits and one home run in four games against CSUB this season.
As they did Friday, the 'Runners jumped on UVU starter Alli Bramwell in the first inning of the opener, scoring two runs on three hits. But as they did Friday, the Wolverines responded in a big way, scoring six unanswered runs in their first two at bats to take control.
An RBI triple by Cara Klein and a run?scoring double by Brooklyn Stuart in the third inning got CSUB back to within 6?4, but UVU added three in the fourth and two more in the fifth to put the game away.
The second game followed a familiar pattern when Klein's sacrifice fly gave the 'Runners a 1?0 lead in the first inning. But the Wolverines bounced right back with two in their half of the first and singles runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up 4?1.
Sophomore shortstop Kristen Archuleta blasted a three?run homer in the top of the sixth to pull CSUB even at 4?4 before Meghan Woodworth's sac fly in the bottom half of the inning put UVU back on top 5?4. Freshman outfielder Stefanie Frei led off the CSUB seventh with a triple, but a pop fly and two line outs to third base left her stranded.
| TEAMS | 123
| 456
| 7
| --
| R
| H
| E
|
CSU Bakersfield
| 202
| 001
| 0
| --
| 5
| 11
| 2
|
Utah Valley Univ.
| 330 | 320
| x
| --
| 11
| 16
| 2
|
BATTERIES: Johnson, Truan and Stuart, Taylor (5); Bramwell, Stocks (4) and Roskelley. WP ? Heidi Stocks (2-11). LP ? Brittany
Johnson (14-12).
| 2B ? Stuart (B), McGraw (UV), Stocks (UV). 3B ? Klein (B). HR ? Woodworth (UV), Niemann (UV).
TEAMS (RECORDS)
| 123
| 456
| 7
| --
| R
| H
| E
|
CSU Bakersfield (22-25 overall)
| 100 | 003
| 0
| --
| 4
| 7
| 1
|
| Utah Valley Univ. (16-32 overall) | 200
| 111
| x
| --
| 5
| 11
| 3 |
BATTERIES: Chavez and Taylor; Nance, Stocks (6) and Steadman, Roskelley (6). WP ? Heidi Stocks (3-11). LP ? Katie Chavez (5-7).
2B ? Frei (B), Woodworth (UV), Niemann (UV). 3B ? Frei (B). HR ? Archuleta (B #2), Steadman (UV #3).
