BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – As the only senior on the CSU Bakersfield softball team, center fielder Laura King (Camarillo, Calif., UNLV) stepped up on senior day, which was also the 'Runners home season finale, and collected four hits in the doubleheader against Pacific Coast Softball Conference rival Saint Mary's on Sunday at Roadrunner Softball Complex. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get the 'Runners victories as they fell to the Gaels 3-0 in Game 1 and 6-3 in 10 innings in Game 2.
King went 4-for-9 in the two games with a double and a stolen base for CSUB (14-29, 9-11 PCSC). The Gaels (20-27, 11-9 PCSC) won the weekend series 3-1. Junior left fielder Karissa Veiga (Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) also posted four hits, while also scoring a run and stealing two bases on the day.
In Game 1, the Gaels jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Andrea Hazel hit a solo homer to center field in the top of the second inning.
In the bottom of the second, the 'Runners loaded the bases thanks to a single by junior third baseman Taylor DeSilva (Sunnyvale, Calif., Univ. of Pacific) and two walks. Unfortunately for CSUB, they left the bases loaded and failed to capitalize. In the top of the third, Saint Mary's added two more runs on an RBI single by Megan Smith and a sacrifice fly.
Despite three scoreless innings from CSUB freshman pitcher Amber Mills (Fresno, Calif., Clovis West HS), the 'Runners couldn't get on the board and lost 3-0.
In Game 2, CSUB was hurt by six fielding errors.
Saint Mary's again took an early lead, this time with two runs in the first inning off Mills, who pitched a combined 13 innings on the day, only allowing two earned runs on nine hits, while striking out three and walking one.
The 'Runners rallied back to tie the game at 2-all in the third inning when sophomore catcher Ashley Carter (Tehachapi, Calif., Tehachapi HS) led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Nicole Sanchez (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Frontier HS). Veiga singled to put runners at first and second base. With two outs, junior shortstop Shay Fryer (San Diego, Calif., University HS) reached on an error and both runs came in to score.
It became a pitcher's duel after that with Mills keeping the Gaels at bay and Lujane Mussadi doing the same for Saint Mary's. Mussadi combined for 15 innings on the day and picked up two wins after giving up zero earned runs on 13 hits with no walks or strikeouts.
In the 10th inning, with the international tiebreaker in place that places a runner at second base for each team to start each half inning, Saint Mary's scored four runs after capitalizing on a walk, an error and a wild pitch by CSUB combined with two hits.
CSUB rallied in the bottom of the 10th when sophomore second baseman Adrianna Cardoza (Santa Anna, Calif., La Quinta HS) hit an RBI single to score sophomore third baseman Madison Bundy (Anacortes, Wash., Oregon St.). King doubled and CSUB had 'Runners at second and third with the tying run at the plate, but the rally came up short.
CSUB will now hit the road to play its final PCSC series of the year against first-place BYU (23-22, 12-4 PCSC) on Friday and Saturday. The Friday games will be at 5 and 7 p.m. MDT, with Saturday's games taking place at 1 and 3 p.m. MDT. All four will be broadcast on BYUtv.
Before the game, CSUB recognized King, who has started most of CSUB's games for the last 3 years in center field after spending her first two years of college at UNLV (she redshirted her first season). As a speedy left-handed hitter King has been an offensive leader for the 'Runners, who can hit for average and extra bases, as well as steal bases once she gets on base.
This year, King broke her leg in the third game of the season, sliding into second base against Long Beach State. Proving her toughness and competitive desire, she played the rest of the game. After finding out the leg was broken, she rehabbed and quickly healed to be back on the field 41 days later and hasn't missed a Pacific Coast Softball Conference game this season for CSUB.
She is just as dedicated in the classroom as she is to her teammates as she is a two-time selection to the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll. She has a 3.77 cumulative GPA and is a Capital One Academic All-District Team Nomination. Off the field, King interns for the CSUB marketing department and volunteers the Ronald McDonald House Foundation and Bakersfield's Glenwood Retirement Home. She also donates time to being the female student-athlete representative for CSUB's Roadrunner Scholarship Fund, which helps find donors for the CSUB Athletic Program. In addition to these activities, King is also a member of the CSUB Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
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