STOCKTON, Calif. – The University of the Pacific Softball team dropped Saturday's series opener against Loyola Marymount, 5-1 at Bill Simoni Field. However, the Tigers responded with a 4-0 shutout to split the WCC doubleheader.
 
GAME ONE SUMMARY
 
Loyola Marymount 5, Pacific 1
 
After three scoreless innings of outstanding pitching by Bethany Hammer and Marina Vitalich, the Tigers broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning. A leadoff single by Madison Kahwaty followed by a stolen base set up an opportunity for a sacrifice bunt. And the bunt was executed by Valeria Torres-Colon to advance Kahwaty to third base.
 
Following the bunt, the Tigers capitalized on an RBI single by Carly Lucchetti, as Kahwaty scored to put Pacific ahead 1-0.
 
The Lions tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth on Alyssa Daniell's second home run of the season.
 
LMU went ahead with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Allisha Martinez and Morgan DeBord were in scoring position and an error allowed both to score for a 3-1 Lions' lead.
 
The lead grew for the Lions in the top of the seventh. A two-out RBI double by Andrea Gonzalez, followed by an RBI triple by Martinez gave a 5-1 lead to LMU going to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Although Natalie Linker singled with two outs for Pacific in the bottom of the seventh, Vitalich threw a strikeout to close the game, giving Loyola Marymount a 5-1 victory to open the series.
 
GAME TWO SUMMARY
 
Pacific 4, Loyola Marymount 0
 
Sutherlin didn't allow a hit through three innings. Then, Pacific took advantage of errors committed by LMU in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Kahwaty and Torres-Colon reached on back-to-back errors, then the bases were loaded after a single by Lucchetti. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead on a single by Rian Dirmeyer. With Lucchetti reaching third base, another error allowed Dirmeyer to reach scoring position.
 
Following the single by Dirmeyer, a sacrifice bunt by Jessica Mabrey drove in Lucchetti, and Dirmeyer scored on LMU's fourth error of the inning as the Tigers led 4-0.
 
Although Pacific didn't add to its lead, Sutherlin did not surrender any runs to the Lions. LMU had the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, but Sutherlin got out of the jam with her sixth strikeout of the game. The Tigers went on to a 4-0 shutout to split Saturday's doubleheader.
 
NOTABLE STATS

• Sutherlin pitched a complete game to improve to 6-1 on the season with seven strikeouts and six hits allowed.
• In game one, Hammer struck out seven batters faced allowing five runs with three earned.
• Kahwaty went 3-for-4 on Saturday and is currently on a five-game hit streak, as she has a .317 batting average through Saturday. Kahwaty also reached base in all six plate appearances in the doubleheader.

POSTGAME QUOTES
 
Pacific head coach Brian Kolze following Saturday's doubleheader:
"Thought we did a really good job bouncing back from the first game. Though we struggled offensively at times today, I thought overall Bethany [Hammer] and Myka [Sutherlin] threw well and our defense did a good job."
 
UP NEXT
 
The series finale between Pacific and LMU has been moved to 11 a.m. on Sunday from Bill Simoni Field. Originally, the game was scheduled for noon, but was moved in anticipation of inclement weather.
 
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