Feb. 26, 2011

Texas Box Score
Indiana Box Score

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - LMU's offense was held scoreless for the first time this season as the Lions dropped a pair of games on the second day of the Cathedral City Classic Saturday. In the afternoon, #11 Texas jumped out to an early lead for a 6-0 win in the opening game before the Lions (5-7) dropped a tight pitchers duel, 1-0 to Indiana in the nightcap.

#11 Texas 6, LMU 0
Facing their second straight ranked opponent, the Lions were shut out for the first time this season as Texas starter Blaire Luna (8-1) scattered four hits while striking out 11 and walking two in the complete game victory. LMU got singles from junior Kelly Sarginson, sophomores Olivia Alvarez and Danielle Smith, and freshman Meghan Harman but left the bases loaded in the third as junior Sam Fischer struck out to see her hitting streak snapped at eight games.

An Amy Hooks single and Nadia Taylor sacrifice fly put the Longhorns (13-2) on the board in the first and Taylor Thom made it 3-0 with a two-out solo shot in the second. The Lions looked to rally in the third as Harman led off with a single and senior Jennifer Nayudu walked. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. Following a strikeout, senior Amy Charpentier was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Fischer. It was the exact position the Lions wanted by Luna got the better of the battle, striking out LMU's slugger to end the inning.

That strikeout would prove to be pivotal as Taylor made it 5-0 in the bottom of the third with a two-out homer to center. In the fifth, Taylor Hoagland set a new Big 12 record with a leadoff single that extended her hitting streak to 26 games, later scoring on Lexy Bennett's sac fly to complete the scoring.

Sophomore Dana Waldusky (2-3) took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in five innings. She struck out four and walked four before giving way to freshman Stevie Goldstein, who tossed one inning of one-hit relief.

Indiana 1, LMU 0
After a five-hour break, LMU returned to the diamond but the bats were again silenced as the battle was waged in the circle between LMU sophomore Molly Medeiros and Indiana's Morgan Melloh. The two each tossed complete games but Medeiros' seven-hit, six strikeout performance was upstaged by Melloh's 11-strikeout two-hitter.

All of the action happened in the fifth inning. In Indiana's (8-7) top half, Meaghan Murphy put herself in scoring position with a one out double to right center, scoring what would prove to be the game's only run on Cassie Cogreve's single.

The Lions had their chance in the bottom of the fifth when junior Brittany Pereda and freshman Samantha Nelson hit back-to-back singles and sophomore Danielle Smith walked to load the bases with one out. Senior Jennifer Nayudu was called on to pinch-run at third for Pereda, giving the Lions more speed in the prospective tying run. It would not be enough, though, as Nayudu was thrown out at home by centerfielder Lindsay Callanen trying to score on senior Amy Charpentier's flyout.

The singles by Pereda and Nelson would prove to be LMU's only hits of the game as Melloh (6-7) carried a no-hitter into the fifth, then retired the final seven batters she faced. Medeiros (2-2) was the hard luck loser, giving up the lone run on seven hits and three walks while striking out a season-high six.

The weekend rounds out at the Cathedral City Classic with a pair of games Sunday. At 1 p.m., LMU will face the nation's top-ranked team in Arizona, followed by Indiana at 3 p.m.