BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – With the bases-loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Roadrunner softball team was unable to deliver the game-winning hit as CSU Bakersfield fell to San Diego on Sunday, 7-5.

"I thought that the team did a better job of staying within themselves today and fighting back," said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Head Coach of the `Runners. "Kaycee is coming back from a bit of an injury and we're trying to get her some more innings. I thought she fought through it okay. We have to get better at adjusting earlier in the game, but I like how we found our groove at the end. We're starting to piece it together."

A series of solid small ball helped San Diego take an early lead on CSUB. A sacrifice fly put the Toreros ahead 1-0, but `Runner starter Kaycee Olson was able to the limit the damage to just the one run. In the top of the second, CSUB found itself in a bases-loaded jam and a single pushed the score to 3-0. A smart cutoff on the play allowed CSUB's Paige Johnson to make a diving tag to end the inning.

In the bottom of the second, Chris Hipa scored on Karah Wiseman's RBI double down the left field line. Bakersfield cut the deficit to just two runs on the play, but the Toreros put up a four-spot in the top of the fourth to go ahead 7-1. The main catalyst of the big inning was Sara Silveyra's two-run home run.

The `Runners did not let the large lead intimidate them and began chipping away. Wiseman, a sophomore catcher, got her second RBI of the day on a grounder that scored Johnson in the bottom of the fourth.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Hipa came to bat in a bases-loaded, two-out situation. The junior utility player single to left field and Ariana Felix, a speedy pinch hitter, was able to score from second, making the score 7-4.

The bottom of the sixth featured freshman Ariana Acedo's first collegiate home run. The native of Tucson, Ariz. sent a blast over the left field wall to bring CSUB within two runs.

Down to their final three outs, the `Runners continued to rally. Acedo came up to bat with `Runners on first and second, but the Toreros were content to walk the bases loaded. Wiseman came to the plate, hit a soft grounder and nearly beat out the throw, but was thrown out to end the rally as CSUB fell, 7-5.

The `Runners tallied nine hits behind a pair of singles from both senior Julea Cavazos and Hipa. Johnson, the starting third baseman, went 1-for-2 while walking twice on Sunday. Acedo recorded eight putouts with a steady glove at first base for CSUB.

Olson took the loss after pitching 3.2 innings and giving up all seven of the USD runs. Freshman Daryn Hitzel allowed just one hit and three walks in 2.1 innings of relief while senior Summer Evans pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the `Runners.

CSUB (2-19) will hit the road again next weekend to play five games over three days at the Gaucho Classic, hosted by UC Santa Barbara. The following weekend, Mar. 30-31, Bakersfield will return to the Roadrunner Softball Complex to open Western Athletic Conference play against Grand Canyon.

~GoRunners.com~