SOFTBALL FALLS TWICE IN FIRST DAY OF THE STANFORD INVITATIONAL
2/20/2009
STANFORD, Calif. -- Sacrament State opened the Stanford Softball Invitational with a pair of losses today in the first round of the three-day, five-game tournament at Smith Family Stadium. The Hornets began the day by falling to Notre Dame (4-1) before losing to fifth-ranked Stanford (6-1) later in the afternoon.
With the losses, Sacramento State, which was playing for the first time since Feb. 12, dropped to 2-2 overall this season. The Hornets were playing the first two of a scheduled five games at the Stanford Invitational, which includes contests tomorrow against both Western Kentucky (10 a.m.) and Notre Dame (4:45 p.m.). The Hornets conclude the tourney with another game against host Stanford on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Stanford, which was playing its home opener against the Hornets, improved to 9-1 overall this season and 1-0 at the tournament. Notre Dame improved to 2-3 overall and 1-0 at the tournament.
In the Hornets’ first game of the day, Notre Dame starter Brittney Bargar (2-1) allowed just five hits and one unearned run over seven innings. Bargar is the staff ace of a Notre Dame team that was receiving votes in the NFCA/USA Today top 25 poll when the season started. The only run allowed by Bargar plated during the fifth inning when Irish shortstop Katie Fleury committed an error that allowed Jenice Bartee to score from second base with two outs.
Bartee’s run tied the game at 1-1 as Bargar and Hornet freshman Alyssa Nakken were deadlocked in a pitchers dual through five innings. In fact, after Nakken allowed the first two batters of the game to reach base, she retired 15 straight Notre Dame players. However, the Irish broke through in the sixth inning with three runs and four hits, highlighted by a two-run single from No. 3 hitter Linda Kohan. Notre Dame tacked on one more in the inning on an RBI-double from Christine Lux.
With one out in the top of the seventh, singles from the Hornets’ Megan Schaefer and Bartee got the tying runner to the plate, but Bargar retired Alicia Noriega and Nakken to end the game. In the first collegiate start of her career, Nakken (0-1) allowed five hits and four runs while striking out two over 5.2 innings. She walked just one, the first batter of the game. Fellow freshman pitcher Shelby Voelz also saw her first collegiate action after entering the game for Nakken with two outs in the sixth. Voelz was able to escape a jam by striking out Brianna Jorgensborg.
Sacramento State’s Bartee (2-for-3 with a run) was the only player from either team to record a multiple-hit game.
Against Stanford, the Hornets’ offense could muster just four hits and one run against reigning third team All-American pitcher Missy Penna (7-1). The right-hander went the distance while walking just one batter, striking out seven and throwing 99 pitches. The Hornets’ only run of the game came in the fourth inning when Desiree Beltran’s sacrifice squeeze bunt plated Izmena Cabrera.
Sacramento State used a trio of pitchers as junior Brittani Clifford threw the first two innings, Voelz the next two innings, and sophomore Megan Schaefer the last two. Schaefer was impressive, limiting the fifth-ranked team in the nation to no runs, no hits and just one walk over two innings.
Stanford scored single runs in the first, second and third innings, and three more in the fourth to put the game out of reach. The Cardinal Nos. 1-3 hitters Alissa Haber (2), Ashley Hansen (1) and Shannon Koplitz (2) combined to drive in five of the team’s six runs.
For the Hornets, Jamie Schloredt, Izmena Cabrera, Rachel Miles and Schaefer accounted for the team’s four hits. Schloredt and Schaefer were the only Sacramento State players with hits in both games, and Schloredt has now hit safely in all four games this season.
STANFORD, Calif. -- Sacrament State opened the Stanford Softball Invitational with a pair of losses today in the first round of the three-day, five-game tournament at Smith Family Stadium. The Hornets began the day by falling to Notre Dame (4-1) before losing to fifth-ranked Stanford (6-1) later in the afternoon.
