April 3, 2010

Cal State Bakersfield Box Score
BYU Box Score

St. George, Utah - LMU earned a split in its final non-conference tune-up, rallying in the late innings to beat Cal State Bakersfield 8-7 in eight innings before dropping Saturday's second game, 4-0 to #25 BYU in St. George, Utah. Light-hitting freshman Skylar Segura delivered a clutch two-run double to tie things in the bottom of the seventh against the Roadrunners before junior Jennifer Nayudu's RBI single won it in the eighth.

In a prelude to next weekend's conference opener in Bakersfield, the Lions and Roadrunners traded leads in the late innings before LMU could emerge triumphant. LMU actually led 5-2 before CSUB scored twice in the fifth and three times in the seventh to take a 7-5 lead. That's when the Lions rallied to tie it in the seventh.

Junior Amy Charpentier, who had homered earlier in the game, led off the seventh with a double to right. Two batters later, she went to third on a single by sophomore Kelly Sarginson. A walk to senior Darcy Pagnini loaded the bases for Segura, a late-inning defensive replacement with only two hits in 28 bats on the year entering the game. Segura came through in the moment, sending a double to right that brought home two runners. Still with only one out, the Lions had a chance to win it in regulation but junior Priscilla Satete flew out to center and freshman Jennifer Olivares, who was pinch-running at third, was called out for leaving early as she tried to tag up.

Ultimately, it didn't matter as CSUB (12-21) failed to score in the international tiebreaker in the top of the eighth, opening the door for the Lions. With Satete placed on second, she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior J.J. Hartung. That brought up Nayudu, who continued her outstanding season by stroking a single to right.

Home runs had seemed to be the theme of the day as the teams combined for six round-trippers. Charpentier's first of the year tied things at 1-1 after CSUB had taken the lead. Sophomore Brittany Pereda's two-run shot, her third of the year, staked the Lions to a 3-1 advantage in the third and Charpentier drove in two more runs in the fifth on a single. But the Roadrunners used four home runs to storm back for the lead before LMU rallied in the seventh.

Freshman Molly Medeiros (4-5) picked up the victory by pitching the scoreless eighth in which she allowed one hit. Senior Melissa Dykema had gotten the start, going the first seven innings and giving up seven runs on eight hits in the no-decision.

Charpentier led the Lions with a 3-for-4 effort that included her first home run of the season, and drove in three runs on the day. Sarginson and Pagnini each had two hits, as did Segura, while Pereda, Nayudu, and sophomore Sam Fischer delivered one hit apiece.

LMU turned right around to face the 25th-ranked Cougars, who had blanked the Lions 11-0 in five innings a day earlier. LMU did much better this time around, although the result was the same. Jessica Purcell-Fitu's single in the second gave BYU the lead and Angeline Quiocho made it 4-0 with a three-run homer in the third.

LMU would not quit, however, and looked to make some noise off of Paige Affleck. Two walks and a groundout put runners on second and third with one out in the fourth but Affleck got Nayudu to line out to second and then struck out freshman Danielle Smith to end the threat.

The Lions had their best chance in the sixth, when they brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Fischer. Freshman Olivia Alvarez led off the inning with a double and, with two outs, Smith and sophomore Kylie Ahlo walked to load the bases for Fischer. Affleck won the battle, though, inducing an inning-ending grounder to short.

Medeiros (4-6) was tagged with the loss, allowing the four runs on nine hits. Fischer had two of the Lions' five hits but the Lions could not take advantage of eight walks issued by Affleck.

LMU continues its 11-game road trip next weekend with the opening of Pacific Coast Softball Conference play. LMU and Cal State Bakersfield will square off for four games next Saturday and Sunday in Bakersfield with doubleheaders starting at noon each day.