STANFORD, Calif. - The CSUB softball team dropped its opening two games at the Stanford Invitational, losing 6-5 to UC Santa Barbara in 11 innings before falling to No. 9 Stanford 12-0 in five Innings Friday afternoon at Stanford's Smith Family Stadium.

The Roadrunners staged a furious comeback to force extra innings against UC Santa Barbara. Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the third, CSUB got two runs back on Ryane Petersen's (Fresno/Fresno State) two-run single. But they waited until the 11^th hour to tie the game.

Jill McClelland's (Paso Robles/Templeton HS) one-out single kept CSUB breathing in the seventh before pinch hitter Emily Bliss (Northridge/Chaminade Prep) was hit by a pitch with two outs to send McClelland to second. Freshman rightfielder Karlee Rodgers (Clovis West HS) forced extra innings with her RBI single.

Once they caught up, the 'Runners missed several opportunities to steal the win. Bliss went to third and Rodgers went to second on her seventh inning single, but both were stranded. Playing the international tiebreaker, the 'Runners twice had speedy Heather Veitch (Simi Valley/Royal HS) on second to start the inning with the heart of the order to follow, but they couldn't find a way to bring her home.

McClelland's RBI grounder in the ninth matched UCSB's score in the top of the inning to extend the game, but the Gauchos parlayed a walk, a sac bunt and an infield single into the winning run in the 11^th.

Ninth-ranked Stanford simply was too much in the second game. The first seven Cardinal batters reached base to open the bottom of the first as Stanford scored five runs. A double, a walk and a two-run single opened the Stanford second inning before the first six Cardinal hitters reached as part of a five-run third that iced the game.

McClelland and Kelli Bailey (Rodeo/John Swett HS) managed the only two CSUB hits versus Stanford.

CSUB (10-17 overall) will look to end a six-game losing streak when it continues play at the Stanford Invitational Saturday with games against the Cardinal (6 p.m.) and Pacific (8:15 p.m.).