STROUD DELIVERS AGAIN, THIS TIME A TWO-HIT SHUTOUT OF UTAH STATE

3/13/2011

LAKEWOOD, Calif. -- Sacramento State freshman right-hander Taylor Stroud put together another dominating effort, tossing a two-hit shutout to lead the Hornets to a 1-0 victory over Utah State in the fifth and final round of the Long Beach Softball Invitational Sunday morning at Mayfair Park.

With the victory, the Hornets (6-10 overall) completed the three-day, five-game tournament with a 3-2 record. That included a win over BYU, two victories over Utah State, and narrow losses to both ninth-ranked UCLA (5-3) and tournament host Long Beach State (2-1 in nine innings).

Stroud started three of the Hornets’ five games during the tournament, and finished with a 2-1 record to go along with a 1.24 ERA. In 22.2 innings of tournament play, she allowed just 15 hits, a .190 opponents batting average and just three extra base hits. Stroud’s only blemish during the tournament was a loss to Long Beach State that saw the 49ers score an unearned run in the ninth inning to win.

In today’s game, Stroud faced just five batters over the minimum while walking one and striking out a season-high tying six. The only hits she allowed were a leadoff double in the third inning, and an infield single in the sixth. The Santa Rosa native worked her way out of trouble in both innings, stranding a runner at third base in both those frames.

Overall this season, Stroud is now 4-3 with a 0.95 ERA, and has allowed just five walks in 51.1 total innings. She has a robust 5.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio (27 strikeouts), and in those 51.1 innings, has allowed just one home run and eight extra base hits. In addition, Stroud has thrown a complete game in all five of her starts.

Sacramento State scored the lone run of today’s game when a Devin Caldwell single plated Marissa Navarro. The Hornets, who finished with 10 hits, had opportunities to score more runs, but stranded nine runners on base. That included leaving at least one runner on base in every inning. Shannon Kaufman went 3-for-4, and Caldwell and Nakken both went 2-for-3. Nakken extended her career-high tying hitting streak to five games.

Clutch hits have been few and far between for the Hornets of late. In the team’s last three games, Sacramento State has combined to strand 33 runners on base and is just 5-for-29 (.172) with runners in scoring position over that span.

Sacramento State begins a seven-game homestand this Wednesday, March 16, when the team hosts Northern Illinois for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Hornets then host the three-day Capital Classic on March 18-20. Complete tournament information can be found by clicking here.