KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The CSU Bakersfield softball team doubled its season home run total from three to six against Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday, but the Roadrunners' offensive outburst was matched and bested by the Kangaroos. CSUB fell in the final game of the Western Athletic Conference series by a score of 12-7.

“We have to play better defensively,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Head Coach of the 'Runners. “We gave them too many opportunities to score, but we showed fight like we haven't yet seen this year.” CSUB's three errors in the game led to eight unearned runs for the 'Roos, which proved to be the difference on Saturday.

Two 'Runners, freshman Nadia Amezcua and redshirt senior Adrianna Cardoza, took the team lead with their second home runs of the season. Freshman Chris Hipa added her first blast of the year, a two-run shot that tied the game in the fifth inning. Saturday's three home runs is tied for the second most for CSUB in a single game since the program moved to NCAA Division I in 2008.

After UMKC took an early 2-0 lead, the 'Runners answered right back in the top of the second with a pair of runs of their own. Amezcua, a freshman from Downey, Calif., hit her second home run of the season to lead off the inning. Later, Jo Larios' double moved Hipa to third base and an error helped the freshman come around and score as CSUB tied the game 2-2.

CSUB allowed the Kangaroos to score another pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the second as UMKC regained the lead at 4-2. A solo home run by Kelsey Goodwin pushed UMKC's advantage to 5-2.

Sydney Raeber led off the top of the fifth with a double, the senior centerfielder's third of the series and team-high ninth of the season. Fellow senior Briana Pontecorvo would plate Raeber with a sacrifice fly before Hipa's first collegiate home run drove Amezcua in and tied the score at 5-5.

Another unearned run in the bottom of the fifth put UMKC ahead 6-5. To that point, CSUB starter Amber Mills had pitched five complete innings and allowed six runs, only one of which was earned. The 'Roos exploded for six runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth. While taking a 12-5 lead, UMKC knocked Mills out of the game as Alyssa Stockton came into relieve for the third straight game. Stockton recorded three outs to get CSUB out of the inning, but not before UMKC added two unearned runs to the freshman's line.

CSUB went down swinging in the top of the seventh. After Larios walked, Cardoza hit her second homer of the season to make the score 12-7. The 'Runners were unable to continue the rally as UMKC held on for the win to improve to 13-17 (5-1 WAC) on the year.

Hipa went 2-for-4 at the plate and had two RBI for the 'Runners. Four other women recorded two hits for CSUB on Saturday, including catcher Larios, who reached base safely all four times at the plate with two hits and two walks. Mills took the loss, dropping to 5-9 on the year, while allowing nine hits, 10 runs, four earned runs, and eight walks in the game.

Brooke Parker led the 'Roos from the lead-off spot, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. UMKC Starter Amber Grove only lasted two innings before Katie Kelley replaced her teammate. Kelley finished the game with five innings pitched, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out six 'Runners in the win.

CSU Bakersfield (10-25, 2-4 WAC) will return home to host four games next week. The 'Runners will welcome UC Riverside on Tuesday, Apr. 12, for a single game before continuing WAC play against Seattle U with a three-game series on Friday and Saturday. For information on tickets to next week's game, visit GoRunners.com/tix.

~GoRunners.com~