Feb. 19, 2011

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Sophomore Danielle Smith collected four hits and LMU earned a Saturday split against Minnesota on the second day of the aTen Construction Tournament on Saturday at Amy S. Harrison Field in Riverside, Calif. The Golden Gophers (2-5) took game one 7-2 but the Lions (3-4) roared back from a 5-0 deficit in game two for the 6-5 victory on sophomore Olivia Alvarez's two-out, two-run pinch-hit single.

Minnesota 7, LMU 2
In the first-ever meetings between the two schools, LMU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in game one as freshman Samantha Nelson was hit by a pitch leading off the game, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before coming home on junior Sam Fischer's single down the leftfield line.

The lead would be short-lived, however, as Minnesota struck with three runs in the bottom of the first. A walk, sacrifice bunt, wild pitch, and single brought in the tying run and the Gophers took advantage of two more walks by junior Corie Goodman (0-1) to load the bases with two outs. Back-to-back singles by Allie Siu and Aubrey Davis made it 3-1.

The Lions made more noise in the second as senior Amy Charpentier and Smith each singled to bookend a walk to junior Stephanie Hughes to load the bases with one out. After Nelson struck out, freshman Meghan Harman cut the deficit to one with an RBI single but that would be all for the Lions as Fischer grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

That would prove the turning point of the game as Kari Dorle's two-run homer in the bottom of the second pushed Minnesota's lead to 5-2. Alex Davis added a two-run homer in the fourth to complete the scoring.

Fischer and Smith each had one hit to extend their hitting streaks to four games. Goodman took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Sara Moulton improved to 2-4 with the win, scattering seven hits and striking out 13 in the complete-game win.

LMU 6, Minnesota 5
The two teams were back at it in the afternoon and this time it was Minnesota who got out to the early lead, scoring three times in the first and twice in the second. Dorle's second home run of the day, a three-run shot in the first, got the Gophers on the board and second-inning RBI singles by Malisa Barnes and Alex Davis made it 5-0.

There was plenty of time for the Lions to come back as they posted their third come-from-behind victory of the season. Junior Brittany Pereda's second-inning double got LMU on the board and a five-run third put them ahead as the Lions scored four times with two outs.

Once again, it was Smith who got things going, utilizing her speed to score without the ball leaving the infield. She led off the fifth with a bunt single and moved to second on a wild pitch, then motored around to score on Fischer's infield single to third. Junior Kelly Sarginson kept things going with a single up the middle and freshman Kathryn Dutton brought in Fischer with a single to left. After a two-out walk to Charpentier, a wild pitch made it 5-4 before Alvarez drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a two-run pinch-hit single to left.

Sophomore Molly Medeiros (1-1) worked her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and settled down after that, allowing just one hit and two base runners over the final three innings to pick up her first victory of the season. She scattered eight hits and walked four in the complete-game win.

Smith collected her second three-hit game of the season with a 3-for-4 effort and is now hitting .550 through the first seven games. Sarginson finished 2-for-3.

Alissa Koch (0-2) suffered the loss after giving up all six runs on eight hits in three innings.

The Lions close out the tournament weekend on Sunday, facing Rutgers at 9 a.m. and hosts UC Riverside at 2 p.m.