SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Bakersfield again split a pair of games on day two of the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Classic I.

The first game of the second day of competition for the 'Runners was a rematch against the Dayton Flyers, whom Bakersfield defeated 1-0 on Saturday. Bakersfield bested Dayton again on Sunday with a 4-1 win.

Just like the day prior, the Runners opened the game by taking the lead in the first inning. Karissa Veiga (Sr., Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) continued her hot weekend by leading off the game with a double to the gap. Sydney Raeber's (So., Hanford, Calif., Hanford HS) single would move Veiga to third and Amy Ricciardi's (Sr., Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS) sacrifice bunt scored the run.

Veiga got the 'Runners going again in the third inning with another double and eventually advanced to third on a passed ball. Raeber reached base safely on an infield error, scoring Veiga. Freshman Cassidy Santiago (Lake Elisnore, Calif., Temescal Canyon HS) would score from third when Madison Bundy (Jr., Anacortes, Wash., Oregon State) fouled out to left field. Briana Pontecorvo's (So., Hanford, Calif., San José State) single plated Raeber as the 'Runners extended their lead to 4-0.

The Flyers answered back with one run in the top of the fourth off of Tiffany Ricks' solo home run, but Bakersfield's pitching was strong enough to hold on for the win. Freshman starting pitcher Lyndsay Klimenko (Half Moon Bay, Calif., Half Moon Bay HS) got her first collegiate win after pitching five innings and giving up only one earned run while striking out three Flyers. Raeber collected her second save of the year by throwing two perfect innings to close out the game.

In the second game of the day, the 'Runners lost to the host team, UC Santa Barbara, by a score of 6-0.

The Gauchos opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. After loading the bases, a passed ball allowed Arianna Palomares to score from third. Bakersfield's starting pitcher, Kelsie Monroe (Jr., Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College), would eventually get the 'Runners out of trouble by inducing a pop up to end the inning.

The Gauchos burst the scoring open in the third inning thanks in part to a three run homer by Stacy Cavazos. Before that, an error and two singles contributed to two more runs as UC Santa Barbara took a 6-0 lead.

Bakersfield attempted to rally in the seventh and had two 'Runners on base before a strikeout ended the game.

The 'Runners will continue play next weekend, Feb.14-16, at the Fresno State Tournament. Bakersfield (2-4) will play a total of four games over the three days against UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and Fresno State.

~www.GoRunners.com~