BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Roadrunner softball team opened its 2015 home schedule against Pacific on Saturday. CSU Bakersfield earned a split behind the bat and glove of Alexandrea Simmons (Jr., Ontario, Calif., Mt. SAC) and the arm of Kelsie Monroe (Sr., Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College).

Game 1 - CSUB 2, Pacific 0

The opening game of the doubleheader was headlined by Monroe's complete game shutout. The senior righty scattered four hits and allowed only two walks while striking out five Tigers.

“Kelsie threw a pretty good game,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Head Coach of the 'Runners. “She got out of some jams that she was in and she has really cut down on the amount of walks and hits that she is giving up. Offensively, we got clutch hitting when we needed to.”

With 'Runners on second and third in the bottom of the third inning, Simmons provided that clutch hitting. The junior transfer sent a two-RBI single up the middle to give CSUB the lead to which it would hold on. The Roadrunners continued to pressure, but a double play would end the inning and their chances to increase the lead.

“Alex is doing a fantastic job,” said the shortstop's head coach. “She worked really hard this week in practice and it definitely showed. She has a great maturity and played some great shortstop, making some phenomenal plays. Hopefully she can keep stepping up and the team can follow her lead.”

CSUB had another opportunity to score with two on and no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Marissa Young, the Tigers' starting pitcher, got out of trouble. Young induced two groundouts and a fly ball to end the threat.

The Tigers pressured in the bottom of the seventh as the first two batters reached base safely. Monroe shutdown any thoughts of a comeback by inducing back-to-back groundouts and fanning the final batter.

CSUB improved to 4-7 with the win while Monroe's record went to 3-5 and her ERA dropped to 3.32. Simmons finished the game with one hit and two RBI while four other Roadrunners chipped in hits. Centerfielder Sara Anderson went 2-for-3 for Pacific while Young picked up the loss after pitching 6.0 innings and giving up two earned runs and five hits.

Game 2 - Pacific 8, CSUB 0 (6 inn.)

The second game of the day was polar opposite of the first as the 'Runner pitching faltered and the offense could not get going. The only constant from Game 1 to Game 2 was Simmons' performance. The shortstop went 2-for-3 in the game and continued to play solid defense.

 “We have to come out with a different intensity and that starts at practice,” said Buck-Ziegler. "That's what we're going to have to get back to work on.”

The Tigers scored early and often, putting up two tallies in the first inning. RBI doubles from both Molly Bourne and Sydney Lahners gave Pacific a 2-0 lead. The Tigers loaded the bases in the top of the second inning and Nicole Zapotoczny's bases-clearing double gave Pacific a 5-0 lead.

Pacific would tack on two more runs in the fourth inning before getting the eighth and final run in the top of the sixth. Bakersfield's Amber Mills (Jr., Fresno, Calif., Clovis West HS) picked up the loss after giving up four earned runs in 1.1 innings pitched. Lyndsay Klimenko (So., Half Moon Bay, Calif., Half Moon Bay HS) pitched two solid innings in relief to close the game for CSUB, giving up only one run off of two hits.

The 'Runners (4-8) will return to action next weekend at the LMU/CSUN Tournament in Southern California. CSUB will play five games over three days against Loyola Marymount, CSUN, and Sacramento State

~GoRunners.com~