April 30, 2005

Box Score

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The 2005 LMU softball squad will be the first team to represent the Pacific Coast Softball Conference in the NCAA Tournament as the Lions clinched the conference championship with two wins over Sacramento State this afternoon in Sacramento, Calif. In its third year of existence, the PCSC champion was awarded an automatic berth into the NCAA postseason tournament for the first time this season, and LMU has swept through conference play with a 16-2 record to earn the spot. Margo Pineda scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh in game one to secure the championship with a 4-3 win, and Tiffany Pagano tossed her eighth shutout of the season to lead the Lions to a 4-0 victory in game two. LMU has won its last seven games and nine of its last 10, and improves to 34-16 on the year.

LMU scored first in both games. With two outs in the top of the first, Danielle Kaminaka drew a walk and stole second base. Caylin Hornish singled to left center to drive Kaminaka home for the 1-0 lead. Kaminaka struck again in the third inning. She led off with a single to left field, and advanced to second on Brittany Bassett's single. With two outs, Emily Foltz reached on a fielding error by the Hornet centerfielder that allowed Kaminaka and Bassett to score and give LMU a 3-0 lead.

The Hornets (28-23, 10-7) answered in the bottom of the fifth. After the first two batters of the fifth were retired by LMU starter Kayla Meeks, Sacramento State got consecutive singles from Hilary Johnson, Lesley Mayhorn, Lindy Winkler, Gloria Toledo and Amy Hillel to tie the game.

Sacramento State mounted another rally in the sixth inning, putting runners at first and second with one out before Lions reliever Krystal Kehr got Johnson and Mayhorn to ground out ending the inning.

Pineda led off the top of the seventh with a single to right field. She advanced to second when Hornish was hit by a pitch by Hornet pitcher Brianne Ferguson. With two outs, Casie Phillips hit a single up the middle to score Pineda and give LMU a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Hornets also got a leadoff single in the seventh from Winkler, but reliever Pagano retired the next three batters in succession to end the contest and earn her third save of the season.

Kehr (4-3) got the win, allowing two hits in one inning of work. Pagano was strong, allowing one hit while striking out two in the seventh inning. Meeks, the LMU starter, allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. The Hornets had a strong effort from pitcher Brianne Ferguson as the right-hander struck out a career-high 14 batters, including at least one strikeout of every hitter in the Lions' lineup. Ferguson (15-10) allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits in seven innings.

Pagano dominated game two, allowing just four hits for her eighth shutout of the season. Pagano (14-6) did not allow a runner past second base during the entire contest as all four Hornet hits were singles.

LMU scored two runs in the fourth inning on a two-run homer from Kaminaka. The Lions added two more in the seventh on RBI-singles from Pineda and Kaminaka. Pineda finished the game 3-for-3, while Kaminaka had two hits and a game-high three RBI. The Hornets' Nikki Cinque (13-9) picked up the loss, allowing four runs and nine hits in seven innings.

The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on the afternoon of May 15th, and the regionals begin on May 20th. LMU looks to end the season on a high note when it wraps up the regular season with another doubleheader at Sacramento State on Sunday at noon. Check www.LMULions.com for updated information on the NCAA Tournament.

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