ST. GEORGE, Utah - On a day when it clubbed six home runs, the CSUB softball team couldn't match the power of its adversaries in dropping its final two games at the BYU Preconference Tournament at the Canyons Complex in St. George, Utah. Loyola Marymount and UNLV combined for seven long balls Saturday and the Roadrunners fell to LMU, 8-7, and to UNLV, 6-4.

Senior Danielle Lyman (Moreno Valley/Canyon Springs HS) set a school record by homering in her third consecutive game in Saturday's early constest against LMU. She becomes the first player in the 25-plus year history of Roadrunner softball to accomplish that feat. Senior second baseman Kristin Archuleta (Hollister/San Benito HS) will look to match Lyman's feat next weekend after homering in both games Saturday.

CSUB battled from behind all game against LMU. Trailing 5-2 in the fifth inning, Kelli Bailey (Rodeo/John Swett HS) and Archuleta hit back-to-back solo shots to trim the Lion lead to 5-4. Nevertheless, things looked bleak in the top of the seventh.

With the 'Runners down to their final out and pincher runner Stefanie Frei (Valencia/Canyon Country HS) on first for Bailey, Archuleta drew a walk, bringing Lyman to the plate. Lyman, whose walk-off jack upset nationally-ranked BYU Friday afternoon, played the hero's role again, hitting a three-run shot to put CSUB ahead 7-5.

But Brittany Pereda's two-run double in the bottom of the seventh forced extra innings. Playing the international tiebreaker, CSUB got a base hit but couldn't push across a run in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Jennifer Nayudu's blooper to shallow right just evaded a diving Chelsey Bell to bring home Priscilla Satete with the game winner.

Jill McClelland's (Paso Robles/Templeton HS) first home run of the season, a two-run blast, got CSUB off to a solid start against UNLV, but the Rebels claimed five home runs-four solo shots-among their first six hits to take a 6-2 lead in the fifth inning. But junior Ryane Petersen (Fresno/Fresno State), on in relief of starter Sammy Rodriguez (Salinas HS) shut out the Rebels over the final 2 2/3 innings and the red-hot 'Runner bats got CSUB back into the game.

After Petersen reached on an error to open the sixth inning, Archuleta hit a two-run shot to cut the deficit in half. Freshman Karlee Rodgers (Clovis West HS) followed with an infield single, her third hit of the game, and the 'Runners looked to be back in business. Lyman, McClelland and catcher Jaimey Kleinsmith all hit line drives, but UNLV shortstop Jaci Hull snared all of them to end the threat.

That Hull would deal the decisive blow to CSUB's chances on defense proved ironic, considering she did more damage with her bat, finishing the game with two home runs and three RBIs.

Saturday's games closed out the preconference portion of CSUB's schedule. The 'Runners return home to host their first-ever Pacific Coast Softball Conference games next weekend when they welcome LMU to the Roadrunner Softball Complex for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday afternoon.