March 9, 2014
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LOS ANGELES - The LMU softball team extended its season long win streak to seven straight after finishing up play at its own LMU Invitational I Sunday afternoon. The Lions posted a 5-1 win over Belmont on Saturday before earning back-to-back shutouts, 5-0 and 8-0, against Brown.
All told, the Lions (13-8) outscored opponents 26-3 in five games at the LMU Invitational I while also posting three shutouts. Following up on her wins Thursday and Friday, Sydney Gouveia earned Saturday's win over Belmont and Sunday's shutout of Brown. The sophomore is now 12-1 on the season.
Saturday's action began with the 5-1 victory over Belmont as Gouveia fanned 11 while giving up just one hit and one unearned run. Belmont took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Lions tied the game in the second and posted fours run in the sixth to break the game open. Stephanie Maciel had a bases clearing double and would later score on an error to near single-handedly account for all four runs.
In the Lions' nightcap, Stephanie Crist (1-4) picked up her first win in the pitching circle as the Lions pushed a pair of runs across home pate in the third and fifth, while adding one more in the sixth. Crist had four strikeouts and four hits allowed in the complete game effort. She also did not issue a walk.
The sophomore two-way player also banged out a two-run double in the fifth. LMU's three other runs were courtesy of solo home runs by Meghan Harman, Courtney Moore and Nicole Kaiser.
On Sunday, facing the Brown Bears for the third time, the Lions posted a pair of runs in the first, five in the second and one in the sixth before the game ended due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Harman had a two-run home run, her fourth long ball of the season, and Kaiser had a pair of hits to lead LMU. Gouveia fanned nine the first four innings before giving way to Rachael Farrington who struck out three and allowed one hit in the final two innings.
The Lions return to Smith Field on Saturday, March 15, hosting Cal State Northridge in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
