SOLID PITCHING AND McCORMICK’S BAT LEAD SOFTBALL TO SWEEP OF LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
4/22/2011
Freshman Taylor Stroud tossed a two-hit shutout in the second game of today's doubleheader
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The trio of Sacramento State pitchers Taylor Stroud, Megan Schaefer and Shelby Voelz combined to limit Loyola Marymount’s potent offense just one run and 11 hits over 18 innings as the Hornets swept a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader from the Lions Friday afternoon. The Hornets won the first game, 2-1, in 11 innings before a sixth-inning, two-run homer from Emily McCormick delivered a 2-0 victory in the nightcap.
The victories allowed Sacramento State (13-21, 5-5) to move into third place all alone in the PCSC standings, trailing first-place San Diego (9-1) and second-place Loyola Marymount (23-23, 7-3). The Lions had won seven of eight games heading into today, and were in a two-way tie for first place. These same two teams return tomorrow for another doubleheader which begins at noon. Tomorrow will mark the final home games of the season for Sacramento State.
The Hornets were able to continue their recent ownership of Loyola Marymount as Sacramento State has now won nine straight games over the Lions dating back to 2009.
Loyola Marymount’s strength is its potent offense which leads the PCSC in virtually every offensive statistical category, including batting average (.294) and home runs (41). However, the Hornet pitching staff did not allow an extra base hit all day long, and the Lions’ only run came in the fifth inning of the first game.
Stroud (7-10) was filthy in the nightcap, constantly mixing speeds and showing an array of pitches that kept LMU batters off balance. The freshman right-hander allowed just two hits while walking two and striking out four over seven innings. In fact, she needed just 76 pitches (47 strikes) and faced just four batters over the minimum in a game that was completed in a crisp one hour and 26 minutes. LMU failed to get a runner past second base the entire game, and Stroud retired nine of the final 10 batters she faced.
Stroud was locked in a pitchers duel with Loyola Marymount starter Dana Waldusky before the Hornets finally broke through in the sixth inning. With Kelli Frye standing on second base and two outs, McCormick laced a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field wall to give the Hornets the lead. Stroud then posted a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning to complete the victory. The home run for McCormick was her second of the season.
Waldusky (6-7) got the loss, allowing four hits and two runs in six innings. Neither team had a player finish with more than one hit in the game.
In the opener, Sacramento State matched its longest game of the season with an 11-inning affair that ended on a walk-off ground-ball fielders choice off the bat of Alyssa Nakken. LMU starter Molly Medeiros went the distance and threw 124 pitches while Sacramento State starter Megan Schaefer threw 150 pitches before being pulled in the 10th inning in favor of Voelz.
The Hornets opened the scoring in the first inning after Devin Caldwell’s two-out single scored Jessica Abelia from third base. The Lions tied the score in the fifth when pinch hitter Brittany Pereda’s single up the middle scored Olivia Alvarez from second base.
Neither team threatened again until Loyola Marymount loaded the bases in the eighth inning with two outs before Schaefer retired Kathryn Dutton on a ground out to second base. Per conference rules, the tiebreaker rule went into effect in the 10th inning where each team started its frame by placing a runner on second base.
The Lions had runners at first and third base in the top of the 10th when Sacramento State head coach Kathy Strahan elected to put Voelz into the game for Schaefer. The move paid off as Voelz got a comebacker to the mound, a shallow fly ball and eventually retired Dutton on a pop-up with the bases loaded to end the inning. Sacramento State got runners to second and third with two outs in the bottom half of the inning, but could not score.
In the 11th, Voelz again escaped trouble as LMU got a runner to third base with one out, but could not score. That set the table for the Hornets’ bottom half of the 11th when the team loaded the bases with no outs. After Medeiros retired Paige Martin on a pop-up to record the first out of the inning, Nakken hit a ball that squibbed away from LMU shortstop Sam Fischer allowing pinch runner Yesenia Alcala to score the winning run.
Voelz (1-3) allowed just one walk and no hits in two innings of relief to get the win. Schaefer allowed nine hits and three walks while striking out six in nine innings. Medeiros (11-6) took the loss despite allowing nine hits and two runs (one earned) in 10.1 innings.
For the Hornets, Caldwell finished 3-for-4, and McCormick went 2-for-5.
