STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific softball team, competing on the first day of the Mizuno Classic, dropped an 8-3 non-conference decision to Iowa State Thursday afternoon at Bill Simoni Field.
 
Avery Croxall was the third pitcher to appear in the game for the Tigers (7-18) and pitched three solid innings. Croxall allowed just two hits and one walk in her 11th outing of the season, lowering her earned run average to 5.82. The sophomore from Pleasant Grove, Calif., has not allowed an earned run in her last four appearances in the circle and has accumulated three strikeouts during that span.
 
Rian Dirmeyer and Delaney Scully provided the offense as the Tigers trailed the Cyclones (17-9) 8-0 in the fifth inning. With two runners on the basepath with two outs, Dirmeyer slapped an RBI single to left field, scoring Kyla Eck to get the Tigers on the board. Dirmeyer, tallying her team-leading 16th RBI of the season, has recorded four RBI in the past five games.
 
Scully cut the deficit to five later in the sixth inning as she recorded her third home run of the season. The freshman from Valencia, Calif., sent a two-run shot over the left-field fence to cut the lead to 8-3.
 
"We were a little flat and didn't do what we needed to do initially," Head Coach Brian Kolze stated after the game. "I thought we did a better job finishing the game, Avery [Croxall] did a great job in relief, and we had better at-bats throughout the game."
 
Pacific returns to action on Friday, March 18, as the Tigers face off against Iowa State and Marist on the second day of the Mizuno Classic.