Cal Poly Falls Twice During Opening Day of Mustang Classic

Friday, March 25

5:30 pm

3-21

Fairfield

8-9

Fairfield

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Falls Twice During Opening Day of Mustang Classic

3/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Sophomore righthander Rebecca Patton struck out seven Oregon batters during Cal Poly's opening game of the fifth-annual Mustang Classic on Friday afternoon and was perfect in relief during the nightcap against Fairfield, but the program dropped both ends of its doubleheader at Bob Janssen Field, falling, respectively, 8-1 and 3-1.

During Friday's other games at the Mustang Classic, UNLV opened the tournament with a 6-2 triumph against Fairfield while 15th-ranked Oregon topped UNLV in five innings, 11-3.

Against Fairfield (8-9), the Stags grabbed a 2-0 lead before Cal Poly (3-21) had the chance to bat with catcher Lauren Liseth and first baseman Kristina Lingo supplying run-scoring hits. Fairfield returned during the third to place two Stags in scoring position with no outs, but Mustang starting righthander Trista Thomas (1-3) was able to work out of the jam.

Liseth eventually pushed Fairfield's third run across the plate during the fifth by doubling down the left field line to score Stags second baseman Kristen Filicia.

Held to just two hits during the initial five innings by Fairfield starting righthander Sarah Minice (4-3), the Mustangs finally broke through during the sixth as senior catcher Stephanie Correia doubled to score junior left fielder Nora Sobczak from second.

The Mustangs threatened once more, but with freshman pinch runner Cami Brown on at second and two outs during the seventh, Minice coaxed Cal Poly freshman shortstop Kim Westlund into grounding out to end the game.

Sobczak raised her season batting average to .421 with three hits versus Fairfield. Patton (above) struck out two Stags in two and two-thirds innings of relief work.

During Cal Poly's opener versus Oregon (26-4), two errors during the top of the first by Westlund contributed to a run by shortstop Courtney Ceo as the Ducks led wire-to-wire.

Oregon doubled its lead during the second as left fielder Cortney Kivett socked a solo homer over the left field wall. Oregon added a third run in the third as first baseman Kailee Cuico doubled to right center field with two outs to plate designated player Monique Fuiava.

Cal Poly was held without a baserunner until Patton and Westlund drew successive two-out walks during the bottom of the third. Sobczak then slapped a pitch toward the left side of the infield at Ceo, who promptly threw past Cuico at first base and allowed Patton to score.

Oregon, however, put the outcome out of reach during the top of the fifth as, highlighted by a two-run double by second baseman Kaylan Howard, the Ducks notched four runs to grab a 7-1 advantage. The Ducks finalized the scoreline during the sixth as Fuiava singled to score center fielder Allie Burger.

Despite throwing 70 percent of her 135 pitches for strikes, Patton (1-12) suffered the loss.

Play at the Mustang Classic continues at 10 a.m. on Saturday when Fairfield faces Oregon. The complete Mustang Classic schedule and results are below.

Mustang Classic
Presented by The Days Inn-San Luis Obispo
Bob Janssen Field (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
Friday, March 25
UNLV 6, Fairfield 2
No. 15 Oregon 11, UNLV 3, five innings
No. 15 Oregon 8, Cal Poly 1
Fairfield 3, Cal Poly 1

Saturday, March 26 (home team listed second)
Fairfield vs. No. 15 Oregon, 10 a.m.
UNLV vs. No. 15 Oregon, 12:30 p.m.
Cal Poly vs. Fairfield, 3 p.m.
UNLV at Cal Poly, 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 27
Fairfield vs. UNLV, 9 a.m.
Cal Poly vs. No. 15 Oregon, 11 a.m.