April 10, 2010

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Bakersfield, Calif. - LMU spoiled Cal State Bakersfield's Pacific Coast Softball Conference debut, opening up conference play with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday at the Roadrunner Softball Complex in Bakersfield, Calif. The three-time PCSC champion Lions (15-15, 2-0 PCSC) showed their championship mettle by rallying for runs in the seventh innings of both contests to run out 2-1 and 6-5 winners over the Roadrunners (12-24, 0-2 PCSC).

One week after rallying for two runs in the seventh for an 8-7 eighth-inning victory in a non-conference game in St. George, Utah, the Lions again utilized their last at-bats for one-run victories. In game one, senior J.J. Hartung's RBI double opened the scoring in front of junior Amy Charpentier's game-winning single. In game two, senior Christine Foley's RBI double preceded junior Priscilla Satete's two-run homer as LMU rallied from a 5-3 deficit with two outs in the seventh.

Game one featured a fantastic pitcher's duel between LMU senior Melissa Dykema and CSUB's Sammy Rodriguez, each of whom are among the top three in the conference in wins. Dykema barely made it through two innings, needing 54 pitches to record the first six outs, but was able to recover to keep the Roadrunners off the board through the first six innings as she finished with her 65th career complete game.

Rodriguez did her part in kind to limit the Lion offense, blanking LMU until the top of the seventh. When LMU finally broke through, freshman Skylar Segura led LMU's charge with a lead-off walk and was sacrificed to second. Hartung then drove in the game's first run with a double to right-center and moved to third on junior Jennifer Nayudu's single. Two batters later, Charpentier provided a much-needed insurance run with a single to center.

The two runs would prove to be valuable as Rodriguez led off the seventh with a walk before Jill McClelland ripped a shot down the rightfield line. What would have been a stand-up RBI triple, however, became a ground rule double when it curled past the foul pole and past the fence out of play by inches. Kelli Bailey lifted a sac fly to right center that should have scored McClelland with the tying run, but instead brought home pinch runner Chelsey Bell with the first run. With first base open, Dykema intentionally walked Ryane Petersen, who leads the PCSC in RBIs, but got Kristen Archuleta to pop out to end the game.

Dykema (9-8) snapped her two-game losing streak with a complete-game five-hitter, overcoming five walks. She was supported by two hits each from Charpentier and Nayudu.

Rodriguez (9-8) allowed two runs on seven hits, with Jill McClelland picking up two of CSUB's five hits.

CSUB appeared to take control midway through game two, using two-run singles by Heather Veitch and Danielle Lyman in the third inning to race to a 4-0 lead. LMU began to climb back in the fourth on the first of two home runs by junior Sam Fischer, a lead-off solo shot. The Lions then pulled two more runs back in the fifth on back-to-back shots by Charpentier and Fischer to make it a one-run game.

Consecutive doubles by Petersen and Archuleta gave the Roadrunners a 5-3 lead in the sixth but the Lions could not take advantage of a bases-loaded two-out situation in the sixth when Charpentier flew out the left.

The Lions were again saving their best for last as Fischer led off the seventh with a double. After Shawna Truan retired the next two batters. Down to their last out, Foley kept LMU hopes alive with a double to right-center that brought home Fischer and Satete followed with a home run to right-center, her third of the season, to give the Lions a 6-5 lead.

After LMU took the lead, CSUB had a chance to tie in the bottom of the seventh when a lead off walk and a sacrifice put Stefanie Frei on second with one out. After Veitch grounded out, discretion proved the better part of valor again for the Lions, who intentionally walked Petersen for the second time to get to Archuleta.This time, Archuleta hit what looked like a game-tying single up the middle. But Charpentier made a great diving backhanded stop and flipped to second just in time for the out that sealed the game.

Lost in LMU's comeback was an outstanding performance from freshman Molly Medeiros, who improved to 5-6 with a complete-game eight-hitter. She struck out two and walked two.

Fischer snapped out of a 3-for-13 slump by going 3-for-4 with her second two-home run game of the season, giving her eight on the year and leaping over Emily Foltz (2002-05) into seventh place on the LMU career home-run list with 19. Foley and Satete each added two hits each.

Truan (4-8) was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings after Petersen had allowed three runs on eight hits in 4 1/3.

LMU and CSUB will conclude their four-game, conference-opening series with a doubleheader Sunday in Bakersfield.