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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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ShayFuimaonoIC03
Isaac Comelli, CSUB Athletic Communications
3
Pacific PACIFIC 1-5
4
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 1-5
Pacific PACIFIC
1-5
3
Final
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CSU Bakersfield CSUB
1-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Pacific PACIFIC 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 5 1
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 9 2

W: Kennedy, Kaycie (1-1) L: Glad, Hannah (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Fuimaono Walks Off as CSUB Picks Up First Win

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – For more than 1,000 days, the Roadrunner Softball Complex quietly awaited the return of the CSU Bakersfield softball team. On Saturday afternoon, CSUB re-christened its home stadium with a thrilling game that featured the `Runners walking off for a 4-3 victory over the Pacific Tigers.

Leading 3-1 heading into the seventh inning, CSUB gave up two runs and went to the bottom of the seventh with a tie score. With outfielder Savanna Montoya on second base, CSUB freshman Shaylene Fuimaono stepped up to the plate and delivered a two-out, walk-off single to welcome the `Runners back to their home field in exciting fashion.

"Honestly, I was just trusting the process that I was taking this entire week," Fuimaono said about her game-winning base hit. "Getting extra reps in the cages before and after practice, hitting live off of coaches, anything I could get to make sure I was prepared for this moment. Fuimaono, who hails from Oceanside, Calif., quickly commended her teammates for pushing her to put in the extra work that led to Saturday's walk-off.

Defensive effort and a strong start in the circle by freshman Reina Castillo led to CSUB having the lead going into the seventh. Even when the `Runners gave up the tying run, Bakersfield responded with a huge defensive play to prevent the Pacific from going ahead. With one out in the top of the seventh, left fielder Kaia Johnson ended the Pacific threat by making a diving catch and then doubling up a Tiger at second base.

"That's why they are here," CSUB Head Coach Crissy Buck-Ziegler said of Johnson and Fuimaono when asked about their clutch performances. "They are here to make those plays; that's who they are. Shay showed some great composure up at bat and Kaia makes plays like that all the time. I was happy to see them play and be true to themselves."

Buck-Ziegler continued on to describe how her young team is developing: "I just love this team. This team has been formulating together ever since last January and I think they are an excellent group of young women. Whoever we put in, one through 25, we've got grit and passion. They are playing hard, so I love it."

Bakersfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Montoya, a speedy outfielder, triple to lead off the frame and promptly came home on Cydney Curran's RBI single. Cieana Curran, Cydney's younger sister, delivered an RBI groundout later in the second as CSUB enjoyed early momentum. Both teams scored a run in the third before Pacific tied the score in the seventh.

On the day, Montoya went 2-for-4 and scored two runs for CSUB. Cydney Curran, a sixth-year shortstop, also tallied a pair of hits and scored twice while driving in a run. Castillo pitched into the seventh inning, giving up just two earned runs in her best start of the year, but it was fellow freshman Kaycie Kennedy who earned the first win of the season for the `Runners. Kennedy cleaned up the seventh inning after allowing just one hit.

CSUB (1-5) and Pacific (1-5) will return to the Roadrunner Softball Complex on Sunday, Feb. 20, to complete their three-game series with a doubleheader. First pitch of Game 1 on Sunday is set for 11 a.m. (PT) and both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+. Links to the broadcasts as well as live stats are available at GoRunners.com/Live.

~GoRunners.com~
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