NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Emily Bliss (R-Jr., Northridge, Calif.,
Chaminade Prep) shined in a return to her hometown, hitting two home runs to
help the CSU Bakersfield softball team come back to defeat Maine 12-3 on Saturday in the
Northridge Matador Classic.
The Roadrunners (6-13) then fell to Harvard 2-0 in their tournament
finale.Crimson ace Rachel Brown tossed a complete game, one-hitter for the
win. The 'Runners beat Maine 14-0 on Friday and
finish the Northridge Classic with a 2-1 record.
"In
the first game I think we did a grea job of coming from behind," CSUB head coach Crissy Buck said. "We had a shaking
start, but then got settled in. Our hitters looked very
season in the first game. In the second game, their pitcher did a great
job getting in her zone and we didn't respond quick enough. I am impressed every game with
how we are maturing."
Against Maine (4-15), Bliss hit her first homer of the
season, a three-run shot just clearing the left field fence, in the third
inning as part of a seven-run production by the 'Runners. She added her second
blast in the fourth inning, this time with a two-run homer that carried easily
over the left-center wall. Bliss went 6-for-7 with eight RBIs and five runs scored in the
two-game series against Maine.
The home run is the first of the season for Bliss, who only
had one homer in her career before the two-dinger day. She became the eighth 'Runner
to hit two home runs in a game and the first to do it in 2012.
Maine (4-15) jumped out 3-0 on CSUB in the first inning, but
Sara Smith (Sr., Northridge, Calif., Biola Univ.) hit a triple and came around to score in the second
to trim the lead before the 'Runners erased the Black Bear advantage for good
with the seven-run third inning.
Also coming up big against the Black Bears were third
baseman Amy Ricciardi (So., Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS), who went 2-for-3
and hit a two-run double in the third inning and also scored a run, center
fielder Laura King (R-Jr., Camarillo, Calif., UNLV) who went 2-for-4 with two
RBIs and one run scored, left fielder Karissa Veiga (So., Hemet, Calif., Hemet
HS) who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and shortstop Myshayla Fryer (So.,
San Diego, Calif., University HS), who added three RBIs, one hit and scored one
run.
Taylor DeSilva (So.., Sunnyvale, Calif., Univ. of the
Pacific) pitched scoreless frames in the third and fourth to record her second
win of the season for CSUB. She gave up only one hit while striking two before Sarah Hoag (So., Salinas, Calif., Monterey HS) tossed s scoreless fifth inning to
secure the victory.
Against Harvard, freshman right fielder Bree Sandoval (La
Verne, Calif., Bonita HS) registered the only hit for the 'Runners. The game
was scoreless through four innings, with Marissa Hiller (So., Cypress, Calif.,
Cypress HS) starting the game with two solid innings and DeSilva adding two
more before Harvard (4-3) got one run in the fifth and one in the sixth to earn
the win.
The 'Runners will be back in action next weekend at the San
Diego Classic.
~www.GoRunners.com~
