BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Roadrunner softball team is already 33 games into its season but has only played four home games. This week beings a long stretch at home as well as WAC play.
Bakersfield (9-24) will open the week on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton. The 'Runners and Titans have played a total of five games in the programs' histories while CSF owns a 3-2 advantage.
Cal State Fullerton came into the week with an 18-12 record on the season. In the first NCAA RPI release of the season on Mar. 24, CSF was in the top 50 of all Division I programs. CSF has not played a game since Mar. 17 in which the Titans bested Canisius by a score of 10-2 in six innings.
The Titans are an offensive minded group, averaging just over five runs per game, but give up over four runs per game. Missy Taukeiaho leads CSF with a .363 batting average and nine home runs while Jasmin Antunez is the Titans' go-to starting pitcher. The sophomore from Garden Grove, Calif., has been the starting pitcher in 16 of the team's 30 games and has a 7-6 record.
After the games against CSF, Bakersfield will open WAC play this weekend against Utah Valley. The Wolverines own a 9-7 advantage in the all-time series over the 'Runners and Bakersfield dropped two of three games last March.
Utah Valley entered the week with a 7-18 record after having a tough, four-loss weekend. The Wolverines dropped two games to Utah State during that span, a team Bakersfield beat twice a couple of weeks ago.
UVU has two players batting over .300 in Brianna Gatlin and Hailey Kofler. The tag team leads the team far and away in RBI at 19 and 15, respectively, with their next closest teammate posting 7 RBI. The Wolverines are jackrabbits on the base paths as the team is collectively 45-49 in stolen base attempts.
Bakersfield will have to watch out for Utah Valley's primary starter, Josi Summers, who has started 15 games already this season. The senior from Utah has a 3.98 ERA coming into the week with 81 innings already pitched.
The 'Runners are coming off of a 2-3 weekend at the Cal State Northridge Tournament. Amber Mills (So., Fresno, Calif., Clovis West HS) made an impression with two starts in Northridge, including a nine inning, complete game gem against Pacific.
Bakersfield will continue to try to plate Karissa Veiga (Sr., Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) who leads the team in batting average (.389) and on-base percentage (.430). Veiga has scored 25 runs this season from the leadoff position and will look to continue her success and help the Roadrunners put more tallies in the win column.
First pitch of the doubleheader against Fullerton is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The 'Runners will play a single game against Utah Valley on Friday at 2 p.m. before playing a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
~www.GoRunners.com~
