Feb. 26, 2002

Results

Los Angeles, CA -- The Loyola Marymount University (LMU) women's softball team swept the UC Riverside Highlanders at LMU's softball field Tuesday afternoon, taking the first game 5-1 and collecting their second shutout of the year with the 3-0 win.

In the first game the Lions (9-9) rallied to go up 2-0 in the third inning. Centerfielder Christy Cerecedes led off the inning for the Lions with a walk. She stole second, her first of the season, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Freshman leftfielder Ashley Hunt walked to put runners at the corners. Freshman shortstop Danielle Kaminaka singled to center field to bring Cerecedes home, and to put the Lions on the board. Later in the inning, the Lions loaded the bases, and scored their second run with Emily Foltz's walk. The Lions left three runners on base at the end of the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth the Lions again went on a scoring rampage, scoring three runs from four hits. Kaminaka led off the inning for the Lions with a single to the Highlander's pitcher, Jenell Jackson. Third baseman Sami Strinz, the WAC Player of the Week, doubled to right field with Kaminaka advancing to third. Rogalsky singled to left field to bring Kaminaka home on the play. Freshman Lauren Hiramoto entered the game to pinch-run for Rogalsky, who had a stolen base in the second inning. Hiramoto stole second, and was brought home by Junior rightfielder Sarah Schaub, who sacrificed a ground ball to second base.

The Highlanders (3-15) tried to bring the game back within grasp in the sixth inning, with one run off of three hits. Jeanine Robison pinch hit for Sarah Smallwood, getting a single on her first at-bat. She was followed by Karli Burneleit who singled to leftfield, and Suzanne Dallas who reached on a bunt to score Robison. That would be the end of the Highlander's scoring on the afternoon, however, as they were shut out in the second game.

Rogalsky earned her third win on the season to bring her record to 3-7. This was Rogalsky's first win since the Lions 10-6 win over UC Santa Barbara, the second game of the season.

In the second game the Lions scored in the third inning with freshman rightfielder Tiffany Lawson reaching on an Highlander error. Cerecedes sacrificed a bunt to move Lawson to second on the play. Hunt grounded to second, as Lawson moved to third. Kaminaka singled down the left line to bring Lawson home, and put the Lions up 1-0.

The Lions found a similar situation in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Lawson again reached on an error by the third baseman, Dallas. Pitcher Jennifer Heliotes singled to centerfield to move Lawson to second. Hunt walked to load LMU's bases, and Lawson scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth inning the Lions scored their final run with Freshman Kelli Edelbrock pinch running at first for Heliotes, Megan Julian nailed a double to bring Edlebrock home, and a final score of 3-0.

Heliotes earned her fourth win of the season (4-2) with the Lions shutout. She struck out five batters on the outing.

Next the Lions will travel to the San Fernando Valley to Cal State Northridge to face the Matadors on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. They return home on Friday, March 1, to host the San Diego Toreros at 1:00 p.m.