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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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CydneyCurranMN16
Mark Nessia/Mark Nessia Photography
14
Winner Utah State US 5-7
0
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 4-4
Winner
Utah State US
5-7
14
Final
0
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
4-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Utah State US 6 5 3 0 0 14 13 2
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3

W: NIGHTINGALE, Chloe (2-2) L: Hitzel, Daryn (1-1)

6
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 5-4
5
Santa Clara SCU 1-7
Winner
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
5-4
6
Final
5
Santa Clara SCU
1-7
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 6 6 0
Santa Clara SCU 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 5 7 2

W: Lewis, Julie (1-1) L: KIM (0-3) S: Hitzel, Daryn (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Curran's Triples Record Helps CSUB Split in Santa Clara



SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After opening the Silicon Valley Classic with a hard loss against Utah State, CSU Bakersfield's softball team rebounded to pull out a come-from-behind victory against tournament co-host Santa Clara on Friday afternoon. Junior Cydney Curran set a Roadrunner record for triples while the CSUB pitching staff combined to finish the job in the second game of the day.

"The first game, we did not come out ready to play at all," said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, CSUB's Head Coach. "I'm proud of the way we battled in the second game. Cydney Curran clutched up with her two triples and Makayla Lopez clutched up with her two-RBI single. Both of those plays really helped turn the momentum our way. I was really impressed with the way Daryn Hitzel closed the door at the end."

CSUB 0, Utah State 14 (5 inn.)

The `Runners got off to a rocky start as an error prolonged the top of the first inning. Utah State went on to score six unearned runs in the frame and never looked back.

The Aggies tacked on a five spot in the second inning and three runs in the third to take a 14-0 lead. Sophomore Julie Lewis came in to throw the final 2.2 innings for the `Runners and was the bright spot of the opening game. The native of Arroyo Grande, Calif. scattered one hit and three walks while keeping USU off the scoreboard for the rest of the contest.

Unable to rally in the bottom of the fifth, the `Runners fell to the Aggies. Senior Paige Johnson, batting lead off for the first time this season, went 2-for-3 from the plate. Bakersfield's right fielders, Arianna Felix and Maxine Langenberg, both went 1-for-1 against the Aggie pitchers.

CSUB 6, Santa Clara 5

After a pair of scoreless innings, the `Runners got on the board first with one run in the top of the third inning. Curran, a native of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i, tripled to the left center gap and was later plated on Johnson's sacrifice fly. With CSUB ahead of Santa Clara 1-0, the Broncos responded with a big bottom half of the inning, plating three runs to take the lead from the `Runners.

In the top of the fifth, Bakersfield rallied to regain the lead thanks to three runs. Sophomore Arianna Felix got things started with a leadoff single and she eventually scored on a play that included two Santa Clara errors. With two `Runners on, freshman Makayla Lopez came up clutch in a pinch-hit situation as her two RBI double scored Curran and Johnson, giving CSUB a 4-3 advantage. Once again, the Broncos rallied and regained the lead in the bottom half of the fifth, 5-4, thanks to a pair of RBI hits.

With senior Chris Hipa on first base in the top of the sixth, Curran came to the plate and delivered her second triple of the game, a new CSUB Division I single-game record. Santa Clara tried to gun Curran down at home on the next play, but the speedy shortstop slid safely under the tag and put CSUB up 6-5.

With the bases full of Broncos and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Daryn Hitzel came out of the bullpen and earned got the `Runners out of trouble. Hitzel went on to earn a four-out save and her strong finish helped Lewis earn her first collegiate victory. The Game 2 starter, Kiara Azevedo, pitched well through the fourth inning, but ended up with a no decision.

Curran went 2-for-3 with her two triples against the Broncos and she now has six career triples, third most in Bakersfield's Division I history. Lopez finished with two RBI and is now 3-for-4 with five RBI as a pinch hitter this season. Johnson, the starting third baseman, also tacked on a pair of RBI for the `Runners.

Tomorrow

The `Runners (5-4) will switch sites to continue the Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday. CSUB will start the day off with a 9 a.m. first pitch scheduled against Ball State before getting a rematch with Montana at 11:30 a.m.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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