March 25, 2014
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LOS ANGELES - Breeanna Sanvdoval collected six hits, including a pair of walk offs, to lead the LMU softball team to a doubleheader sweep of visiting UMKC Tuesday at Smith Field. The junior left fielder broke a 4-4 tie with her eighth-inning, RBI-single in the opener and followed with a two-out, two-RBI single in the nightcap to complete a 6-5 come-from-behind victory.
The Lions improve to 19-13 on the season while the Kangaroos fall to 10-22 overall.
In the opener, LMU took a 4-0 lead through three innings courtesy a Meghan von Behren solo home run and a three-run shot by Meghan Harman.
UMKC would rally to score one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth, knotting the score at four apiece. With the international tie breaker in effect in the eighth, the Kangaroos would advance their placed runner to third on a double to right by Caitlin Christopher. But the Lions were able to get her out at home on a fielders choice to first, and then end the inning on a strikeout and ground out.
In the bottom of the eighth, with Samantha Nelson placed on second, Stephanie Maciel would sacrifice bunt her to third and two batters later, Sandoval brought her home with a single through the left side.
Rachael Farrington went the distance for LMU, fanning four and scattering eight hits in eight complete innings.
In the nightcap, the Lions were forced to rally from a 5-2 deficit heading into the final frame. But the clutch bats came alive. Amanda Dirks led off with a double to right and advanced to third on a Harman fly out to center. Pinch hitter Nelson followed with an RBI double to center before Alex Finie flied out for the second out of the inning.
Maciel would keep the rally going, reaching on an error by UMKC's second baseman, which also allowed Nelson to score. Sterling Shuster singled through the left side and Courtney Moore walked, loading the bases for Sandoval who came up with her second walk-off hit of the day, knocking a single up the middle that scored both Shuster and Maciel.
Sandoval finished with six hits on the day to go along with four RBIs. Harman had three hits, as did von Behren. Farrington picked up the win in the nightcap, tossing the final two innings of relief. The freshman moved to an even 5-5 on the year.
The Lions conclude their 17-game homestand, and the non-conference portion of the 2014 schedule with a single game against Hawaii on Wednesday. The Wahine face UMKC in a neutral site game at noon, followed by the Lions versus Hawaii at approximately 2 p.m.
