SOFTBALL DROPS A PAIR OF GAMES IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE STANFORD INVITATIONAL
3/25/2011
STANFORD, Calif. -- San Diego State (seven runs, 12 hits) and 12th-ranked Stanford (nine runs, nine hits) combined for 16 runs and 21 hits off Hornet pitching as Sacramento State dropped its first two games of the Stanford Softball Invitational Friday at Smith Family Stadium. San Diego State defeated the Hornets, 7-2, in the opener before the Cardinal posted a 9-1 mercy-rule shortened victory.
Today marked the first two games of the three-day, five-game tournament for Sacramento State. The Hornets (7-13 overall) return to action for another game against host Stanford tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., and conclude tournament play Sunday against both Pacific (11:15 a.m.) and Coastal Carolina (3:45 p.m.).
In the opener, San Diego State (16-14) broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning with a two-run homer from Lorena Klopp, and later added a three-run shot by Hayley Miles in the seventh inning. Those home runs marked just the second and third round trippers yielded by Sacramento State starter Taylor Stroud all season. The Aztecs finished the day with 12 hits off the Hornet right-hander, constantly swinging at the first pitch of their at-bats. In fact, of those 12 hits, eight were recorded on the first pitch, including two triples, a double, four singles and Miles’ home run.
Trailing, 2-0, the Hornets tied the score at 2-2 in the third inning via RBI-single from Devin Caldwell and an RBI-fielders choice ground ball off the bat of Kelly Shepard. Sacramento State had other opportunities to score, stranding 10 runners on base, including at least one in every inning but the fifth. That included leaving two runners on base in both the first and second innings, and the bases loaded in the third. The Hornets finished the game 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Sacramento State finished with seven hits, including Emily McCormick who went 2-for-4 with a run. McCormick had missed the previous two games with a concussion. She was the only Hornet with a multiple-hit game. For San Diego State, Miles went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run and four RBIs. Lindsey Marquez and Justeen Maeva both added a pair of hits.
The Aztecs’ Kamerin May (1-0) got the win in relief, allowing two hits while striking out three over the final four innings. Stroud (4-5) went the distance in the loss.
In the second game, Sacramento State and Stanford (21-3) played through rough conditions, which included a pair of rain delays. Stanford scored nine times off starter Megan Schaefer and reliever Stroud. That included a two-run first inning, five more in the third and two in the fifth. The five-run third inning featured a three-run double from Maya Burns that broke the game open. Burns would finish the day with four RBIs while both Sarah Hassman and Jenna Rich each had a pair of RBIs.
The only highlight in the game for the Hornets was a solo home run off the bat of sophomore Molly Smith in the fifth inning that cut Stanford’s lead to 7-1. The Cardinal, however, got an RBI-single from Hassman and a sacrifice fly in from Jenna Rich in the bottom of the fifth to enforce the eight-run mercy rule and end the game.
Schaefer, who had yielded one earned run or less in six straight appearances heading into today, allowed Stanford six hits and seven runs over three innings. The right-hander rarely has control problems, but walked five batters while dropping to 3-4 this season. Stroud worked the final 1.1 innings, giving up three hits and two runs. Stroud walked four batters in a little over an inning after issuing just seven free passes in her first 63.1 innings of work.
Tegan Gerhart (13-3) went the distance for the win, allowing four hits and one run over five innings.
