Feb. 27, 2011

Arizona Box Score
UCSB Box Score

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - LMU closed out the final day of the Cathedral City Classic with a Sunday split, falling to top-ranked Arizona 6-0 before bouncing back with a 9-4 victory over UC Santa Barbara.

#1 Arizona 6, LMU 0
LMU found itself facing the #1 team in the nation for the third time in program history and also its third game against a ranked foe on the weekend. Stacie Chambers' grand slam in the fourth would prove to be all the scoring that the Wildcats (13-2) would need but the Lions had their chances, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and stranding eight runners in total.

Both teams had their chances in the early going and it was LMU who nearly took the lead in the top of the first. With two outs, Fischer singled through the right side and junior Kelly Sarginson followed with a good piece of hitting with a her fourth double of the season, this one to right center. Fischer was able to move to third on the play but would be stranded there when Shelby Babcock got sophomore Olivia Alvarez to ground out to short.

The Lions saw their school-record streak of nine straight games without an error come to an end in the third as a pair of defensive miscues and a walk allowed the Wildcats to load the bases with nobody out. Goodman bore down, however, getting Karissa Buchanan to pop up and Becca Tikey to ground into a fielder's choice that forced the second out at the plate. Alex Lavine then flew out to left to end the inning.

Arizona would load the bases again in the following inning but Goodman could not work her way out of this jam, as Chambers, who was seventh in the nation last season in home runs, blasted a grand slam to center to stake the Wildcats to a 4-0 lead. It was one of Chambers' three hits on the game.

LMU had another chance in the following inning, loading the bases with one out. Walks by Sarginson and junior Stephanie Hughes and a single by sophomore Skylar Segura brought up junior Kylie Ahlo as the game's tying run. Ahlo lifted a fly ball to right but it wasn't deep enough to allow the runners to tag and Babcock again got out of the inning with a grounder to short.

Arizona would tack on additional runs in the fourth and sixth as Babcock (4-1) closed out her five-hitter. Brittany Lastrapes also had three hits as the first four hitters in UA's lineup collected nine of the team's 10 hits.

Goodman (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings before giving way to sophomore Erica Grady, who allowed two runs on seven hits in the final 3 2/3.

LMU 9, UC Santa Barbara 4
Fischer wasted no time in snapping LMU's 24-inning scoreless streak with her first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first. It was her 28th career round-tripper, moving her into sole possession of fourth place on LMU's career list.

The Lions added to their lead in the fourth when Fischer and Sarginson walked and were bunted over by freshman Kathryn Dutton. A passed ball scored Fischer and freshman Meghan Harman made it 4-0 with a run-scoring single.

UCwith a five-run sixth. Doubles by Fischer and junior Brittany Pereda scored one and, with two outs, sophomore Skylar Segura struck out but beat the ball to first as it got away from the catcher, extending the inning and bringing in a run. A wild pitch plated another run before Smith delivered the knock-out blow, a two-run single that tied LMU's season-high for runs.

Sophomore Molly Medeiros (3-2) picked up the run with 3 2/3 innings of relief. She allowed two runs on seven hits. Freshman Stevie Goldstein got the start, tossing 3 1/3 innings.

The Lions have a quick turnaround, heading out to Clearwater, Florida, for the USF Under Armour Invitational. Before the tournament gets started on Thursday, LMU will play a Wednesday exhibition game against the Dutch National Team at 3 p.m. Pacific. When the tournament commences on Thursday, LMU will face Quinnipiac and Florida International starting at 2:30 p.m. Pacific. Friday sees the Lions take on hosts South Florida at 9:30 a.m. and Western Michigan at 2:30 p.m. The weekend concludes Sunday with a 6:30 a.m. (Pacific) first pitch against Arkansas.