BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - On the opening day of Pacific Coast Softball Conference play, the CSU Bakersfield softball team fell to the University of San Diego 6-1 and 2-1 in a doubleheader at Roadrunner Softball Complex on Saturday. The teams will play another doubleheader on Sunday at Roadrunner Softball Complex to complete the four-game season series.
In Game 2, CSUB took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and held it until the seventh with the Toreros rallied back with two runs and then held on to win. In Game 1, Roadrunner sophomore third baseman Amy Ricciardi (Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS) hit her first homer of the season, a solo shot to center field, but CSUB was held in check by San Diego pitcher Jenny Lehitte, who gave up only two runs and totaled 10 strikeouts.
"In the first game, they came out swinging the bats really well. We were hitting the ball well too, but it was going right to their players and there is nothing you can do about that," said CSUB head coach Crissy Buck. "We challenged ourselves to come out in second game and with more fire and more fight and I think we did and I am proud of us for that. If we just take back two pitches and we had that game. We have to come back tomorrow with the same intensity."
CSUB (7-25, 0-2 PCSC) did come out fired up in Game 2 against San Diego (15-11, 2-0 PCSC) and took the lead when senior catcher Tera Macias (Los Banos, Calif., San Jose CC) hit a double and then pinch runner Amy Paolercio (R-Fr., Fresno, Calif., Fresno Pacific) came around to score on a single up the middle by freshman right fielder Bree Sandoval (La Verne, Calif., Bonita HS). CSUB tallied six hits and had plenty of runners on base, but stranded 13 in the game including a good threat in the sixth inning. Red-shirt junior Laura King (Camarillo, Calif., UNLV) went 2-for-4 in the game.
CSUB sophomore pitcher Sarah Hoag (Salinas, Calif., Monterey HS) was solid in the circle for CSUB, striking out four in a complete game effort. She held the Toreros scoreless until the seventh when Lauren Tomey led off with a solo homer, then Katie Emerson hit a pinch-hit double and scored on a single by Morgan Kurtz.
The Roadrunners and Toreros will return to Roadrunner Softball Complex for the second doubleheader of the weekend on Sunday with the first game starting at noon.
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