March 16, 2011

Box Score

LOS ANGELES - LMU had the bases loaded with one out in both the sixth and seventh innings but could not push home the tying run, falling 6-3 to Wisconsin on Wednesday on day two of the 2011 Marina International Hotel Showcase at Smith Field. The Lions (7-15) got two hits apiece from senior Jennifer Nayudu and sophomore Danielle Smith to go along with a solo home run from junior Brittany Pereda.

After falling to the Badgers (12-7) by a count of 2-1 the day before, LMU was looking to gain some measure of revenge in the search for its first home victory of the year. For the third consecutive game, the Lions jumped on the board first thanks to a solo home run. On Tuesday, juniors Kelly Sarginson and Stephanie Hughes had gone deep to put LMU ahead and this time it was Pereda launching a solo shot with two outs in the second for a 1-0 Lion advantage. It was Pereda's first home run of the year and sixth of her career.

However, as had been the case on Tuesday, the Lions could not hold the lead as Wisconsin manufactured the tying run in the bottom of the second on three singles. That's when defensive miscues stung the Lions, who committed three errors for the first time this season. In the third, a two-out Lion error prolonged the Badgers' at-bat and Shannel Blackshear made LMU pay, putting UW ahead 3-1 with a two-run homer to center. Wisconsin would extend its lead to 6-1 in the fifth thanks to two more LMU errors.

The Lions began their comeback in the sixth when freshman Samantha Nelson led off with a walk and Nayudu singled to left, with Nelson motoring all the way home and Nayudu ending up at second when the ball got away from the leftfielder. A bunt single by Smith and a walk to senior Amy Charpentier loaded the bases for junior Sam Fischer, who nearly put the Lions ahead as she barely missed grand slams on back-to-back pitches, instead stinging the balls foul before striking out. The Lions would get a second run home as the next batter, Sarginson, laced a grounder off the pitcher's glove and beat it out for an infield single. LMU still had the bases loaded and only one out but Hughes struck out and Pereda popped up to end the inning with LMU trailing 5-3.

UW would strike right back as Whitney Massey led off the sixth with a solo home run to right that provided an insurance run and chased LMU freshman Stevie Goldstein.

LMU would load the bases again in the seventh when Nelson walked with one out and Nayudu singled up the middle. Freshman pinch-hitter Meghan Harman then drew a walk to bring up Charpentier as the tying run. Yet Cassandra Darrah would get Charpentier to pop up to short and Fischer to pop up to second to close out her complete game.

Goldstein (0-4) was left still searching for her first collegiate win, allowing six runs (only two of which were earned) on seven hits while striking out two in five innings. Sophomore Molly Medeiros tossed one inning of one-hit relief.

Nayudu's two hits extended her hitting streak to eight games, tying the longest streak by a Lion this season. She is batting .417 (10-for-24) during the streak.

Darrah improved to 8-1 in her six-hitter. She allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and five walks and struck out seven.

LMU will take on North Dakota at 1 p.m. in the third of four games scheduled on Thursday in the tournament. The day gets started at 9 a.m. with Bethune-Cookman vs. Northern Colorado.