March 21, 2008
Box Score
Sacramento, Calif. - For the first time since 1995, the Pacific softball team dropped a doubleheader to Sacramento State, fallin 3-2 and 7-4 to the Hornets on Friday, March 21. The losses dropped Pacific to 18-18 on the year while the Hornets improved to 18-11.
Sporting a their first four game winning streak of the season and a five game winning streak over the Hornets dating back to 2004, the Tigers could not come through with their first road wins of the 2008 season.
In the opening game, Pacific got on the scoreboard in its first at bats, posting a single run in the top of the first. Junior Casey Goldsand (Scottsdale, Ariz.) started the inning off for the Tigers with a slap to the left side, legging out a one-out infield single. With Goldsand aboard, sophomore Kellee Wilson (Tracy, Calif.) walked and freshman Nicole Matson (Castaic, Calif.) singled up the middle to give the Tigers the bases loaded with only one out in the inning.
With runners at every base, senior Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) delivered for Pacific, singling down the leftfield line to plate the first Tiger run. That run would be the only run Pacific would manage to score in the inning as the Tigers would leave the bases loaded in the inning. The Tigers would again leave the bases loaded in the fifth inning with nothing to show for their efforts as they left nine runners on base throughout the game.
Pacific's one run lead quickly evaporated as the Hornets jumped on the Tigers in the bottom of the first, scoring a pair of runs to take the lead, a lead that they would not relinquish. Just as the Tigers had done in the first half of the inning, the Hornets loaded the bases on the Tigers with only one out, however, Sacramento State would get two runs on a double down the left field line by Rachel Miles.
Four innings later, the Hornets would add an insurance run in the fifth inning, tallying an unearned run that would be the difference in the game. With the deficit at two runs, Pacific would score a single run in the sixth, receiving their own unearned run on a pair of Hornet errors in the inning.
The loss was charged to junior Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) as she dropped to 12-7 on the year. Engle gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings pitched. Kayla Meeks picked up the win for the Hornets while Brittani Clifford tallied the save in the contest. Meeks gave up six hits and two runs in six innings of work while walking three and striking out four.
The second game of the day continued Pacific's bad day as a quick two run lead disappeared behind a three run first for the Hornets. Wilson continued to have a strong showing at the plate for the Tigers, doubling down the leftfield line to knock in her first RBI of the day. She would later come around to score Pacific's second run of the game on an error by the Hornets in the field. In the second, the Tigers scored twice more, again on a double down the leftfield line by Wilson, this time scoring two runs. Wilson's double plated both freshman Lindsey Pierce (Camarillo, Calif.) and senior Lauren Sandelin (Sedro-Woolley, Wash.) who had reached on a walk and a single, respectively.
Despite the lead, Pacific's pitching struggled again as Jorgensen gave up six hits and six runs as the Tigers' starter, two days after throwing a one-hitter against Princeton. In the first, the Hornets took advantage of a pair of walks and three hits to do their damage against Jorgensen. In the second, Sacramento State again scored three runs to answer Pacific's two in the top half of the inning, stringing together four consecutive singles to start the inning to post their three runs.
The Hornets would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth against junior Heidi Helberg (Brentwood, Calif.) to bring their game total to seven runs.
Jorgensen picked up the loss to drop to 3-6 on the year. In addition to six hits, Jorgensen walked two and struck out two in one inning pitched. Helberg, who relieved Jorgensen in the second after the first three hits of the inning, pitched five innings, relinquishing five hits and one run while walking one and striking out two.
Clifford picked up the win for the Hornets, once again coming into the contest in relief, this time in the second inning for Megan Schaefer. Clifford gave up five hits, one walk and struck out six in six innings of work.
Pacific will be back in action on Wednesday, March 26, against the Golden Bears of Cal. The Tigers hit the road for a single game scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm.
