STROUD TOSSES SHUTOUT AS SOFTBALL SPLITS TWO GAMES AT FRESNO STATE KICKOFF

2/10/2012

Sophomore Taylor Stroud threw her fifth career shutout, a five-hitter over UC Riverside

FRESNO, Calif. -- Sophomore Taylor Stroud threw a five-hit shutout of UC Riverside, and sophomore Devin Caldwell went 4-for-5 with three RBIs over two games to lead Sacramento State to a split in the first day of the Fresno State Softball Kickoff Friday morning at Bulldog Diamond.

The Hornets lost the first game to Long Beach State, 4-2, before earning a 2-0 victory over UC Riverside in the second game of the day. The games were the first of the season for Sacramento State (1-1) as the team will play three more times over the next two days, including Fresno State on Saturday, and both North Dakota State and UC Riverside on Sunday. The games were also the season opener for both Long Beach State (1-0) and UC Riverside (0-1).

Stroud’s shutout was the fifth of her career as she allowed five hits, one walk and struck out four batters over seven innings. She retired the final seven batters of the game in succession, and faced just five batters over the minimum. That included working out a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second inning.

In the game against Riverside, Caldwell broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a one-out, RBI-double to right field that scored pinch runner Nicole Clark all the way from first base. The Hornets would later tack on an insurance run in the sixth inning after Caldwell successfully laid down a bunt single that scored Alyssa Nakken from third.

The two runs were more than enough for Stroud as she needed just 79 pitches to complete the shutout. Caldwell finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Stroud picked up her ninth career win, while UC Riverside starter Jordyn McDonald went the distance in the loss.

In the Hornets’ opener against Long Beach State, the 49ers overcame a 2-1 deficit with three fifth-inning runs. LBSU starter Erin Jones-Wesley went the distance for the win, allowing two runs and seven hits with 11 strikeouts in seven innings. Sacramento State had plenty of chances to score, stranding at least one runner on base in all but one inning, including the bases loaded in the fifth.

The Hornets opened the scoring in the second inning on an RBI-double from Caldwell which scored Paige Martin, and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an Emily McCormick sacrifice fly. Long Beach State, however, scored three times in the fifth off Hornet starter Shelby Voelz and reliever Caitlin Brooks. All three runs were scored with two outs, highlighted by a two-run double from Alisha Rosen.

For the Hornets, Shannon Kaufman (2-for-4 with a stolen base), Nakken (2-for-4) and Caldwell (2-for-2 with a walk, double, run scored and an RBI) had multi-hit games. Brooks (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs and four hits in two innings of relief. Voelz worked the first four-plus innings, allowing three hits and two runs while walking five and striking out two batters.