SEATTLE, Wash. – Quick starts in both games of Friday's Western Athletic Conference doubleheader helped CSU Bakersfield's softball team earn a pair of road victories over Seattle U. The Roadrunners jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in Game 1 and held on to win 3-1. CSUB built a 6-1 lead after three innings in Game 2 and the 'Runners held off a Redhawk rally to win 8-5.

Game 1

Junior Kaylynn Burt led the game off with a home run to center field, giving CSUB a 1-0 lead early on. The homer was the first of Burt's career and was the first lead-off home run for the 'Runners in the last eight seasons (Feb. 7, 2009, Ryane Petersen). Pinch running for Jo Larios, starting pitcher Lyndsay Klimenko stole the first base of her four-year career later in the frame and scored on Julea Cavazos' groundout single to put CSUB ahead 2-0.

A pitchers' duel ensued after the top of the first inning as Klimenko and Seattle U's Andie Larkins combined to allowed just four hits through five complete innings. In the top of the sixth, CSUB extended its lead to three runs after Chris Hipa led the frame off with a double to the gap. Nicole Curry's RBI single drove Hipa in and gave CSUB a 3-0 advantage.

The Redhawks got their first and only run of the game in the bottom half of the sixth thanks to a CSUB error. Klimenko went on to retire the final four batters of the game in order, preserving the complete-game victory for the 'Runners. CSUB's senior right hander scattered four hits with no walks while giving up just one unearned run to Seattle U.

Six 'Runners tallied one hit in the game while Burt, Curry, and Cavazos had one RBI each. Senior Selena Gonzalez reached base three times in Friday's first game, going 1-for-2 from the plate and reaching on a walk and a hit by pitch. The second baseman is CSUB's Division I career leader in walks with 46 in just three years with the 'Runners.

Game 2

CSUB scored one run in the top of the first to take another early lead on Seattle U. After Burt walked, Gonzalez snuck in a bunt single, setting Larios up for a sacrifice fly RBI. Three straight singles in the bottom half of the first helped the Redhawks tie the game up at one run apiece.

The 'Runners responded with two runs in the top of the second. After back-to-back singles by freshmen Karah Wiseman and Cydney Curran, Burt hit her first triple of the season to send the pair home and put CSUB up 3-1.

Bakersfield added three more runs in the third inning to make the score 6-1. Nadia Amezcua's two-RBI double plated Curry and Hipa before Wiseman's single to right drove home Amezcua. The 'Runners enjoyed their five-run lead until the fifth inning when Seattle U began to surge.

The Redhawks scored three runs in the fifth to cut the CSUB lead to just two runs. Paige Bouska's triple brought home a run and she was driven in by Savannah Loomis' two-run home run. In the bottom of the sixth, SU added one more run to cut the CSUB lead to just one run.

The 'Runners received some much-needed insurance with one swing. Curry came to the plate in the top of the seventh with a 'Runner on and hit her first home run since 2015. The two-run blast to left center pushed the score to 8-5.

Junior starter Summer Evans came back out in the bottom half of the seventh and retired the Redhawks in order to earn her eighth victory of the season (8-12). Evans allowed 11 hits but just one walk to the Redhawks as CSUB sealed an 8-5 victory and a doubleheader sweep in Seattle.

Curry went 2-for-4 in Game 2 and was 3-for-6 on the day with three RBI. Burt also tallied three RBI on the day after plating a pair in the second game. Wiseman, who has started at catcher in CSUB's last seven games, went 2-for-3 in the second game with an RBI and a run.

On Saturday, the 'Runners (11-30, 4-10 WAC) will go for the series sweep against Seattle U (17-29, 6-8 WAC). The single game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. in Seattle while the contest will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network.

~GoRunners.com~