SOFTBALL OPENS FINAL WEEKEND OF THE SEASON WITH A PAIR OF LOSSES AT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD

5/7/2011

Freshman Paige Martin connected on her first collegiate home run in the second game of today's doubleheader

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Cal State Bakersfield’s Jazmine Lee hit a three-run homer in the first game, and Ryane Petersen added a three-run shot in the nightcap to lead the Roadrunners to a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader sweep of Sacramento State Saturday afternoon at the Roadrunner Softball Complex. Cal State Bakersfield held off a late Hornet rally to win the first game, 6-5, before scoring four times in the sixth inning to win the second game, 4-2.

Both teams are wrapping up their 2011 seasons this weekend, and will return to the field for another doubleheader tomorrow at noon. Sacramento State had won eight of its last nine games prior to today’s hiccup. Instead, the Hornets, who were eliminated from conference championship contention last weekend, dropped to 18-24 overall and 10-8 in the conference. Cal State Bakersfield improved to 17-33 overall and 5-13 in the league.

In today’s opener, the Roadrunners scored four times in the first inning and twice more in the third off Hornet starter Taylor Stroud to take a commanding 6-0 lead. A three-run homer in the first by Lee, and a solo homer from Tera Macias in the third highlighted Bakersfield’s scoring. Stroud settled down, retiring the final 10 batters she faced in succession but the damage had been done.

Sacramento State got a run back in the fourth inning on an RBI-single from Paige Martin. The Hornets had opportunities to score more, but stranded runners on base in the first, second, third, fourth and sixth innings. Sacramento State made things interesting with a four-run seventh. Alyssa Nakken led off the inning with a triple and later scored on an infield hit from Yesenia Alcala. One out later, Shannon Kaufman singled to right field and pinch hitter Jillian Canete followed with a three-run homer to cut the deficit to 6-5. However, Roadrunner starter Sarah Hoag retired Emily McCormick and Marissa Navarro to end the threat and the game.

Hoag (6-8) got the win, allowing five runs and 10 hits over seven innings. Stroud (8-11) picked up the loss, allowing eight hits and six runs over six innings. Seven of Sacramento State’s nine starters had at least one hit, including two from Navarro. The home run for Canete was her first of the season.

Making just her third start of the season in the nightcap, Hornet right-hander Jacquelyn Serrano was cruising along having allowed just one hit and three base runners through the first five innings of the game. By the end of that fifth inning, the Hornets had a 2-0 lead thanks to a solo home run from Martin in the second inning and an RBI-single from Nakken in the fifth.

However, Serrano immediately ran into trouble in the sixth inning, allowing five of the first six hitters to reach base safely. The inning was punctuated by a three-run bomb from Petersen which proved to be the game-winning hit. That homer allowed the Roadrunners to take a 4-2 lead, and ended the game’s scoring.

Cal State Bakersfield starter Alyssa Walker (4-9) retired the Hornet side in order in the seventh inning to record her fourth win of the season. She finished the game allowing nine hits and two runs over seven innings. Serrano (0-3) got the loss, allowing five hits and four runs while walking a pair and striking out two over six innings.

Kaufman, Martin and Kelli Frye each went 2-for-3 for the Hornets, and Martin’s home run in the second inning was the first of her intercollegiate career. Sacramento State second baseman Devin Caldwell had a hit in both games, and increased her season-high hitting streak to five games. Martin and Kaufman have both hit safely in four straight games.