BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Roadrunner softball team will head south to the Cal State Northridge Tournament this weekend. Bakersfield (7-21) will play five games over three days against Harvard, Cal State Northridge, and Pacific.
Friday marks not only the start of the tournament, but also the countdown of exactly one week until the 'Runners begin conference play. While the 'Runners started the season slowly, Bakersfield has won five out of its last nine games. The Roadrunners picked up three wins last week, but ended the weekend with a pair of 2-1 losses against Sacramento State.
Bakersfield rode the arm of junior pitcher Kelsie Monroe (Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College) last week as she went 3-1 on the weekend in three stats and four appearances. Monroe's only loss came in a game in which she gave up no earned runs to Sacramento State, but she picked up a one-hit win against the team before that. The California native leads the WAC in ERA, innings pitched, and strikeouts while posting eight complete games for the 'Runners.
Senior outfielder Karissa Veiga (Sr., Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) has continued her hot hitting for Bakersfield. Veiga leads the Roadrunners in several offensive categories including batting average, RBI, triples, and stolen bases. The senior is currently on a seven game hitting streak, but does not have to keep the offense afloat on her own. The 'Runners also get consistent hitting out of Jessica Castaneda (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Ridgeview HS) and Amy Ricciardi (Sr., Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS).
Bakersfield has not played Harvard since Mar. 10, 2012, in a game the 'Runners lost 2-0. The Crimson spent last weekend in San Diego, Calif. at the San Diego State Tournament. The team came away with two wins and three losses before splitting a pair of midweek games. Harvard has two strong pitchers in Laura Ricciardone and Taylor Cabe. Both have pitched over 35 innings and have ERAs under 2.60.
The 'Runners and Cal State Northridge have played many times in the past with CSUN holding a 34-17 record over Bakersfield. The Matadors won three out of four meetings in 2013 and come into the week having won 11 out of their last 12 games. Cal State Northridge has five batters hitting over .300 and are led offensively by freshman Taylor Glover who is batting .422 and leads the team in RBI, triples, and slugging percentage.
The Tigers hold a 9-1 program record over the 'Runners and Pacific took both games of a doubleheader earlier this season. Since then, the Tigers have struggled on the road with only three wins in the past 10 games. Pacific rides the bat of Taylor Petty, a senior who bats .403 and reaches base safely over 54% of the time. The Tigers also boast some power as three different hitters have two home runs for the squad.
Friday will feature back-to-back games for Bakersfield with the first starting at 11 a.m. The 'Runners will play one game on Saturday at 9 a.m. and will finish the tournament with two games on Sunday (9 a.m. and 2 p.m.).
~www.GoRunners.com~
