April 23, 2011

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A pair of one-run games went each way as LMU came away with a tight Saturday split at Sacramento State to salvage the four-game series. The final road doubleheader of LMU's season saw the Hornets (14-22, 6-6 PCSC) take game one 1-0 in nine innings but junior Sam Fischer tied the Pacific Coast Softball Conference career home run record to help the Lions (24-24, 8-4 PCSC) emerge with a 5-4 game-two victory.

Sacramento State 1, LMU 0 (9 innings)
For the second straight day, the opening game went into extra innings as Sacramento State ran its winning streak over LMU to 10 games behind Megan Schaefer's two-hitter. The Hornets scored the game's only run in the top of the ninth on Devin Caldwell's one-out single to spoil an excellent outing by LMU sophomore Molly Medeiros.

Three consecutive one-out singles by Kelly Shepard, Kelli Frye, and Shannon Kaufman loaded the bases for the Hornets in the third. But Medeiros worked her way out the jam by getting a pair of grounders to Fischer.

Freshman Meghan Harman's one-out single in the third broke up Schaefer's perfect game and the Lions had their first scoring chance when a fielding error put runners on first and second with two outs, only for Schaefer to induce an inning-ending fielder's choice.

The Lions would again put a pair of runners on in the sixth and eighth innings but each time Schaefer retired the PCSC's leading run producer, junior Kelly Sarginson. In the sixth, a fielding error and an intentional walk to Fischer brought up junior Kelly Sarginson. Sarginson got a good pitch and blasted it to center but it stayed in the park, ending LMU's threat. In the eighth, senior Amy Charpentier hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Fischer was intentionally walked for the second time in the game but Schafer got Sarginson induced an inning-ending pop up to first.

Sac State took advantage in the top of the following inning by pushing across the winning run. Erin McCormick led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. After Medeiros struck out Marissa Navarro, Caldwell knocked in McCormick with a single up the middle. Schaefer closed things out with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Schaefer (6-6) gained her second win of the weekend with the two-hitter in which she walked three and struck out two. Medeiros (11-7) gave up the lone run on seven hits. She struck out five and walked none.

LMU 5, Sacramento State 4
Fischer's 11th home run of the season spurred LMU's four-run third inning that helped the Lions overcome a 3-1 deficit. After setting the conference's single-season home run record last year, her solo shot to left was the 38th of her career, pulling her even with Danielle Kaminaka (2003-05) atop the PCSC career charts. Fischer reached in all four of her plate appearances via a pair of hits and two walks.

After being held to just four hits over its previous two games, the Lions gained that many in the first inning alone to take a 1-0 lead on freshman Kathryn Dutton's RBI single. Yet, the Lions left the bases loaded and the Hornets came right back to tie things up on Shepard's bunt. Sacramento State would then push ahead with two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a pair of LMU errors. A double steal produced the go-ahead run and Caldwell drove in her second run of the day with a double to right.

Fischer's leadoff homer in the third started LMU's rally as they took the lead for good. After her home run pulled the Lions back to 3-2, Sarginson and Dutton both drew walks and junior Kylie Ahlo singled to load the bases with nobody out. This time, it was the Hornets' turn to suffer defensive problems as Shepard committed an error in right that brought home the tying run. Sac State looked like it would get out of the inning when LMU had a runner forced out at the plate and freshman Samantha Nelson struck out but sophomore Danielle Smith kept the inning going with an RBI single to left and a throwing error by Navarro accounted for another run as LMU took a 5-3 lead.

Both teams would leave the bases loaded in the fourth but the Hornets pulled a run back in the fifth on Frye's RBI fielder's choice. McCormick's one-out double in the sixth put the tying run in scoring position for Sac State and chased sophomore Dana Waldusky from the game. On came Medeiros to preserve the LMU advantage and that she did, getting Navarro to fly out and Caldwell to pop up.

Waldusky (7-7) gained the win after giving up four runs (three earned) on 10 hits over the first 5 1/3 innings. Medeiros picked up her third save of the season by retiring all five batters she faced. LMU's top three hitters for average this season, Fischer, Smith, and Ahlo, led the way on offense with two hits apiece.

Taylor Stroud, who had two-hit the Lions the day before, lasted just two innings in this outing. She allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks in the no-decision. Shelby Voelz (1-4) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs on four hits and five walks in four innings.

LMU closes out the regular season with eight straight home games, starting next weekend with a visit from Cal State Bakersfield. The Lions and Roadrunners will play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, starting at noon each day.