April 2, 2011

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Opening weekend of Big West play pitted the top two teams in the conference through the first half of the season as the Pacific softball team took on the Long Beach State 49ers. In double header action, the Tigers split their day with the 49ers on Saturday, April 2 as Long Beach State took game one, 6-0, before the Tigers took game two, 3-1. With the split the Tigers improved to 20-12 on the season while the 49ers improved to 23-11.

Facing one of the top pitchers in the conference in Erin Jones-Wesley, the Pacific offense could not crack the freshman at the plate as Pacific found itself on the wrong end of a shutout to drop the opening contest. Throughout the contest, Jones-Wesley stayed just ahead of the Tiger hitters as she was able to scatter six hits throughout seven innings of work while keeping not allowing Pacific to come up with any big hits with runners in scoring position. She would finish the contest with seven strike outs and just one walk as she improved to a Big West best 12-3 on the year.

On the other side, the difference in the game was just two innings and a couple of fortunate hits that started the rallies which would produce the 49ers' runs.

In the fourth, with two outs recorded, the Tigers saw the flood gates open after Liz Javier's picked up a check swing, two foot single that put the first runner of the inning on. After the opening hit, the 49ers produced at the bottom of the order as they picked up three hits, including two doubles to plate their runs. The big hit of the inning came from the nine spot in the order when Alisha Rosen doubled to right field to bring home the final two runs of the inning.

Long Beach State would add two more runs in the sixth as they picked up an RBI double from Javier before adding a free run on a bases loaded walk to Rosen.

In all, the 49ers were able to get to sophomore Nikki Armagost for all six runs in the game as Pacific's starter went 6.1 innings in the loss. Armagost fell to 9-8 on the year as she relinquished 11 hits while walking three.

Rebounding in game two, the Tigers went to freshman Tori Shepard in the circle to try to even the series. As she has done throughout the season, Shepard was at her best against a top opponent as the freshman held the 49er offense in check for seven strong innings. The lone blemish in the game against Shepard would come in the fourth inning when a controversial call would go against the Tigers and lead to a 49er run.

On a fly ball to deep left-center, Pacific thought they had yet another spectacular catch from sophomore Megan Hom as the center fielder tracked down the shot from Nalani St. Germain, making the catch a few feet from the fence. However, after crashing into the wall a few seconds later, the ball popped loose from Hom's glove and was ruled to be a hit by the third base umpire, giving Long Beach State a one-out double from which to do their damage. With the runner at second, Javier, who started the rally in the fourth in the first game, doubled down the right field line to bring home St. Germain for the game's first run.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Tigers would get the run back as Pacific turned a leadoff double by freshman Megan Foglesong into their first run of the afternoon. After missing out on a big inning when a sacrifice bunt attempt turned into a double-play, sophomore Amy Moore made sure the Tigers would not miss out on tying up the game as she laced a single through the right-side of the infield to bring home Foglesong.

Pacific would add another run in the bottom of the fifth on a bases loaded walk to junior Nicole Matson. The RBI opportunity would come about for the Tigers with two outs in the inning after senior Lindsey Pierce looped a double into the left-center gap to get the inning started. With Pierce aboard the Tigers patiently worked three straight walks with the final coming to Matson to plate the run.

Looking to add some more insurance to their lead an inning later, the Tigers would get their biggest hit of the afternoon when freshman Kelsey Rodriguez blasted a two-out, solo home run over the left field fence. The long ball by Pacific's designated player was the first of the freshman's collegiate career and gave Shepard a 3-1 lead heading into the final inning of work.

Shepard improved to 7-4 on the year as the freshman threw her sixth complete game. She gave up just four hits and one run while striking out three and walking three. Falling to 7-4 on the year, Brooke Turner lasted 4.2 innings for the 49ers as she also gave up four hits, but was charged with two runs to fall behind Shepard.

The two teams will play the rubber-game of their three-game series on Sunday, April 3 at Bill Simoni Field. The single game is scheduled for 12:00 pm with both teams looking to take the series, 2-1, with a victory.