SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Despite a come-from-behind rally that forced extra innings, the CSU Bakersfield softball team lost a thriller to UC Santa Barbara 4-3 in the second game of a non-league doubleheader on Tuesday. The 'Runners fell in Game 1, 3-1 as the Gauchos completed the sweep.
Down 3-2 entering the seventh inning, sophomore second baseman Adrianna Cardoza (Santa Anna, Calif., La Quinta HS) and sophomore third baseman Amy Ricciardi (Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS) came up clutch with doubles. Ricciardi drove in Cardoza to tie the game and force extra innings after sophomore pitcher Taylor DeSilva (Sunnyvale, Calif., Univ. of the Pacific) held UCSB scoreless in the bottom of the frame.
Playing international tierbreaker rules which place a runner on second base to start each inning, the 'Runners were unable to capitalize in the top of the eighth and went down in order. UCSB was able to take advantage of a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the eighth that allowed Shelby Wisdom to score and win the game.
CSUB jumped out to an early lead in Game 2 and sophomore left fielder Karissa Veiga (Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) led off with a walk and redshirt junior center fielder Laura King (Camarillo, Calif., UNLV) reached on a single. Both came around to score as the 'Runners went up 2-0.
CSUB sophomore pitchers Marissa Hiller (Cypress, Calif., Cypress HS) and Sarah Hoag (Salinas, Calif., Monterey HS) combined to throw five scoreless innings as the 'Runners clung to their 2-0 lead until the sixth inning. That's when the Gauchos got a pair of solo homers and added the go-ahead run in claiming a 3-2 lead going into the seventh inning.
The 'Runners answered right back when Cardoza led off with a double and then came around to score on another double by Ricciardi to keep the game alive and force a bottom of the seventh inning. King finished the game with two hits while freshman catcher Ashley Carter Itehachapi, Calif., Tehachapi HS) also added a single.
In Game 1, senior first baseman Sara Smith (Northridge, Calif., Biola Univ.) hit a solo home run, her second homer of the year, over the left field fence, to account for CSUB's only run. The Gauchos struck first, scoring two runs in the first inning and other in the second and never gave up the lead. The 'Runners were held to two hits in the contest, with Ricciardi recording the other hit, a single in the sixth inning.
The 'Runners will now return to Bakersfield to prepare to host Saint Mary's (15-19) in a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday at Roadrunner Softball Complex. The first game of both days of the Pacific Coast Softball Coast action will begin at noon. The 'Runners enter the weekend with a 3-5 conference mark and in fifth place. The Gaels are 4-3 and currently tied for second place.
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