ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-- In a rollercoaster game to open the Lobo Classic, the CSU Bakersfield softball team defeated the host, New Mexico in eight innings. Junior Sydney Raeber (So., Hanford, Calif., Hanford HS) paved the way with a CSUB Divison I single-game record three doubles as the 'Runners downed the Lobos 8-7.

“The adjustments we made were very good throughout the game,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, CSUB's head coach. “Sydney was on fire and played very mature today. Overall, it was a fantastic team win!”

In the top of the first inning, Raeber kept her hot hitting from the past few weeks going with a double down the line. The next two batters walked to load the bases and Sabrina Perez (Jr., West Covina, Calif., Santa Ana College) knocked in a run with a single to give CSUB a 1-0 lead.

The 'Runners led off the top of the second with back-to-back singles. Alexandrea Simmons (Jr., Ontario, Calif., Mt. SAC) doubled to left center to drive in her fifth and sixth RBI of the season and give the 'Runners a 3-0 lead. It was all Bakersfield through the first two innings as Nicole Curry (Fr., Martinez, Calif., Alhambra HS) hit her third double of the season and brought Simmons around to take a 4-0 advantage over the Lobos.

The end of the second inning would signal the end of CSUB's prosperity as New Mexico proceeded to score seven unanswered runs in the next four innings. Gabrielle Stacey's two-RBI triple past a diving left fielder helped the Lobos to a three-run bottom of the second which made the score 4-3. The Lobos tied the game off of Mariah Rimmer's line drive double in the bottom of the third and took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth off of a double by Michala Erickson. Two more runs in the fifth gave UNM a 7-4 lead over the 'Runners.

CSU Bakersfield struggled to produce any sort of offense after New Mexico pulled its starter and brought in Krissy Fortner. The reliever retired nine out of 12 batters after she came in through the fifth inning. After two straight strikeouts, the 'Runners started a two-out rally in the top of the sixth. Raeber, CSUB's batting average leader (.408), came up to bat with 'Runners on first and second and drove in her team-leading eighth and ninth RBI of the season with her second double of the game.

With CSUB trailing 7-6 in the sixth inning, Lyndsay Klimenko (So., Half Moon Bay, Calif., Half Moon Bay HS), who had only pitched 6.2 innings this season, came on to relieve starter Kelsie Monroe (Sr., Los Banos, Calif., San Joaquin Delta College). Klimenko went on to retire nine of the 11 Lobos she faced in three innings pitched. The sophomore allowed only two walks and no hits while holding the Lobos at bay, according to Buck-Zeigler: “Lyndsay came in and shutdown their offense to give our team time to hit in the runs.”

Heading into the eighth inning, the 'Runners were unable to move the runner on second, placed there by the international tiebreaker rule, over to third with either of their first two outs. Raeber came to the plate and delivered with her third double of the game, which tied the school Division I record for most doubles in a single game and drove in what would prove to be the winning run.

Klimenko closed out the eighth inning and picked up her first win of the season after pitching three scoreless innings. Raeber went 3-for-5 with three RBI while Simmons and Curry chipped in a pair of RBI each. Monroe pitched five innings, giving up seven runs, six earned, and ten hits while striking out three batters in the no decision.

CSU Bakersfield will return to the Lobo Classic on Saturday for two games. The 'Runners will get their first crack at Rutgers, who missed the first game of the tournament after getting stuck in an airport. Game 1 of the second day will begin at 9 a.m. (PST) and then CSUB will get a rematch against New Mexico at 2 p.m. Links to live stats for both games and live video for the UNM game can be found at the top of this page.

~GoRunners.com~