STOCKTON, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield softball team closed out the Libby Matson Tournament with a single game against the Purdue Boilermakers. The Roadrunners pushed the member of the Big Ten to extra innings, but fell in the eighth, 6-3.

“It was a tough weekend,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Head Coach of the 'Runners. “Learning to rise up is what we're working on.”

Purdue opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the first. Katie Harrison's shot to left field off of CSUB's starter, Amber Mills, put the Boilermakers up 1-0.

The Roadrunners responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Senior Michelle Cannata, who earned her first start with the 'Runners, reached base on a fielding error to give CSUB a lead-off baserunner. After a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kaylynn Burt, right fielder Julea Cavazos drove in the first run with an RBI single. Senior Sydney Raeber capped the scoring with her RBI double to put CSUB up by one run.

CSUB added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to Raeber's second RBI of the game. With 'Runners on the corners, the CSUB centerfielder put down a sacrifice bunt and shortstop Alex Simmons used her speed to beat the throw home and put the 'Runners ahead 3-1.

After the first inning, Mills cruised against the Purdue offense, giving up just one hit through the next four innings. The senior righty threw a mistake pitch to Purdue's second baseman, Kristen Hoppman in the sixth inning. With a runner on base thanks to a fielding error during the previous at bat, Hoppman tied up the game at three runs apiece with her two-run blast.

Neither team was able to get anything around in the seventh as the game went to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, the international tie breaker put a runner on second for the Boilermakers, who took advantage. A single and a wild pitch allowed a run to come around before a bases-loaded single from Heather Knight drove in two more runs.

Down by three, the 'Runners were unable to muster a rally and fell to Purdue, 6-3. Cavazos highlighted the day for CSUB as the sophomore went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Raeber's two RBI led the team while she and Selena Gonzalez contributed the other base hits for CSUB.

Mills pitched 5.2 innings, giving up four hits, three runs, two earned runs, and striking out three in the no decision. Junior Lyndsay Klimenko took the loss after taking over in the sixth with the game tied. The righty struck out four Boilermakers in the game, but gave up the runs in the eighth that proved to be the game winners for Purdue (9-5).

The Roadrunners (3-7) will return to action with five more games next weekend. CSUB will head to Southern California for the Stacey Winseberg Tournament, hosted by both UCLA and CSUN, Mar. 4-6.

~GoRunners.com~