BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Despite impressive pitching performances from Kelsie Monroe
(So., Los Banos, Calif., Delta College) and Amber Mills (Fr., Fresno, Calif.,
Clovis West HS), the CSU Bakersfield softball team fell to UC Davis 3-2 (in
eight innings) and 2-0 in Saturday's home-opening doubleheader at Roadrunner
Softball Complex.
Each pitcher for CSUB (2-15) only gave up one earned run in the
close games against the Aggies (13-13).
“The pitchers are doing a great job, we just came up short
on hitting,” said CSUB head coach Crissy Buck. “We have two young ones in the circle,
but they are getting better and better each game. Offensively, we are just
trying to look at the little things we are doing right and improving each game.
It was great to be at home today. We had a really nice crowd and that was nice
to see.”
In the first game, UC Davis scored one run in the first
before CSUB pitcher Kelsie Monroe (So., Los Banos, Calif., Delta College)
settled in and put up six scoreless innings. The 'Runners tied the game up in
the third inning when sophomore catcher Ashley Carter (Tehachapi, Calif., Tehachapi
HS) led off with a walk. Sophomore second baseman Adrianna Cardoza (Santa Anna,
Calif., La Quinta HS) then reached on an error and junior left fielder Karissa Veiga
(Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) singled to load the bases. Shay Fryer (San Diego,
Calif., University HS) then hit a sacrifice fly to score Carter to make it 1-1.
The 1-1 score forced the game to eight innings. Playing by
international tiebreaker rules, both teams started with a runner on base. The
Aggies took advantage of that runner when Megan Guzman ripped an RBI triple
down the right field line. Jasmine Lee then singled to plate Guzman and give UC
Davis a 3-1 lead.
Cardoza started out on second base for CSUB in the bottom of
the eight and moved to third don a sacrifice bunt by Veiga. Cardoza then scored
on a sacrifice fly by Sydney Raeber (Hanford, Calif., Hanford HS). The run cut
the score to 3-2, but couldn't manage to get another run across. Monroe took
the loss, giving up three runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits and
one walk with four strikeouts in eight innings.
In game two, Mills hurdled four scoreless innings to start
the game before the Aggies struck for an unearned run in the fifth inning. They
tacked on another run in the sixth when Amy Nunez hit a solo homer to put UC
Davis up 2-0.
CSUB tried to mount a comeback in the sixth inning when
Raeber and freshman designated player Jessica Castaneda (Bakersfield, Calif.,
Ridgeview HS) hit back-to-back singles with two outs. The 'Runners couldn't
cash in on their chance and UC Davis held on for the win, which evened the
season series between the two teams after CSUB beat the Aggies 2-0 on Feb. 16
at the Stanford Nike Invitational.
CSUB will resume its 10-game home stand on Sunday when it
will host Cal Poly (9-16-1) for a doubleheader slated to begin at noon.
~www.GoRunners.com~
