BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Roadrunner softball team continued its WAC-opening series against Utah Valley with a doubleheader on Saturday. The 'Runners dropped both games as Utah Valley picked up a sweep.

Game 1: Utah Valley 9, Bakersfield 4

After a quiet first inning, Bakersfield's starting pitcher, Lyndsay Klimenko (Fr., Half Moon Bay, Calif., Half Moon Bay HS), walked the first two batters of the second inning. Two outs later, Dynasty Lauvai, Utah Valley's hottest hitter, blasted a three-run shot to center field as the Wolverines took a 3-0 advantage.

UVU came right back at Bakersfield in the top of the third. Klimenko loaded the bases with no outs and gave up a run before Head Coach Crissy Buck-Ziegler went to the bullpen. Amber Mills (So., Fresno, Calif., Clovis West HS) came on to relieve but had no more success than her predecessor. The Wolverines ended the inning with six more runs to take a 9-0 lead into the bottom of the third.

The 'Runner offense had trouble getting started early on as the team stranded two in the bottom of the second and left Kayli Shaw (Fr., Rocklin, Calif., Whitney HS) at third base in the bottom of the third. In the fourth, Bakersfield would finally answer back as Makenzie Zinger (So., Visalia, Calif., Redwood HS) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and one out to bring in the team's first run of the game. Kara Frankhouser (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersfield College) and Karissa Veiga (Sr., Hemet, Calif., Hemet HS) added back-to-back RBI singles to ring the 'Runners within six runs as UVU lead 9-3 through four innings.

Bakersfield plated another run in the fifth to bring the score to 9-4 while Madison Bundy (Jr., Anacortes, Wash., Oregon State) made three consecutive, smooth plays on defense in the top of the sixth to keep the 'Runners within striking distance. CSUB was unable to mount a comeback in the sixth or seventh and fell to UVU.

Kelsie Lawton picked up the win for the Wolverines after pitching 3.2 innings in relief while giving up only one run to Bakersfield. Dynasty Lauvai was UVU's bigger hitter of the game, recording four RBI off of three hits while being intentionally walked twice.

Mills pitched 4.2 innings in relief for Bakersfield and gave up only two runs, both unearned. Amy Ricciardi (Sr., Chino Hills, Calif., Ayala HS) was the bright spot in the 'Runner offense as the first baseman went 3-4 in the game with an RBI.  

Game 2: Utah Valley 4, Bakersfield 3

Utah Valley struck early again as the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. A three-run home run in the top of the third from Lauvai would extend that lead to 4-0.

After only pitching two innings to start the first game and, thereby, being unable to be credited with the win, Josi Summers started Game 2 for the Wolverines as well. Summers retired the first 10 'Runners in order, taking a perfect game into the fourth inning before Sydney Raeber (So., Hanford, Calif., Hanford HS) hit a double down the left field line. Raeber would be stranded by her teammates as UVU continued to lead through four innings. Veiga recorded a one-out triple over the rightfielder's head in the bottom of the second, but two consecutive outs would result in another zero on the board for the 'Runners.

Raeber pitched well after coming on to relieve for starter Kelsie Monroe (Jr., Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College). The sophomore reliever recorded nine consecutive outs from the fourth inning into the seventh en route to finishing the game with 4.2 innings pitched. Raeber gave up only one hits over that span while allowing no walks or runs and struck out two Wolverines.

The 'Runners rallied in the bottom of the seventh as Bundy led the inning off with a double and Briana Pontecorvo (So., Hanford, Calif., San José State) followed it up with an RBI single to make the score 4-1. Ricciardi's sacrifice fly closed the gap with another run and Ashley Carter's (Sr., Tehachapi, Calif., Tehachapi HS) double kept the rally alive for Shaw's RBI single. Trailing only 4-3, Veiga grounded out on a bang-bang play to end the 'Runner comeback and the game.

"I think they did a great job in the seventh inning," said Buck-Zielger. "They kept fighting and kept coming back. They hit the ball hard all game and things weren't falling in for us. We just have to keep going after it and keep working hard."

Bakersfield (9-28-1, 0-3 WAC) will continue its 10-game home stand next weekend as the 'Runners host Grand Canyon in a three-game series. A single game on Friday will begin at two p.m. while a doubleheader on Saturday is schedule to start at one p.m.

~www.GoRunners.com~