6-31, 0
Long Beach State
30-13, 0
Cal Poly Edged Twice on Friday by Long Beach State
4/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cal Poly softball starting righthander Rebecca Patton struck out six Long Beach State hitters during the opening game of a Friday afternoon doubleheader and senior designated player Anna Cahn swatted her Big West Conference-leading 11th home run in game No. 2, but the Mustangs dropped both matchups at Bob Janssen Field, falling 3-2 and 7-1.
During Friday's opening contest, Long Beach State – which snapped a six-game losing streak versus the Mustangs at Janssen Field – struck the opening blow during the top of the first with designated player Sarah Carrasco doubling down the left field line with two outs to score pinch runner Emily Gregorio.
Cal Poly stranded two runners during its half of the first before deadlocking the scoreline in the second. Long Beach State starting righthander Erin Jones-Wesley retired the first two Mustangs she faced before allowing successive base hits to freshman left fielder Jillian Andersen, freshman second baseman Ashley Romano and junior center fielder Nora Sobczak. Freshman shortstop Kim Westlund then drew a full-count walk to force home Andersen.
The Mustangs were retired in order during the third before commandeering the lead in the fourth. Patton drove a two-strike double into right field to open the inning and after Jones-Wesley struck Romano with a pitch, Sobczak singled to center field to hand the Mustangs a 2-1 advantage.
Long Beach State, however, required just the ensuing half-inning to knot the scoreline with first baseman Christina Schallig singling through the left side of the infield to score pinch runner Alisha Rosen.
Carrasco doubled again for Long Beach State to open the top of the sixth and after reaching third base through a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Liz Javier, scored to provide Long Beach State the 3-2 victory after Schallig grounded out to Patton.
The Mustangs had one final chance to level the scoreline during the bottom half of the seventh. Sobczak opened the potential threat by singling before advancing to second with a Westlund sacrifice bunt. Long Beach State righthander Taylor Petty (5-4), on in relief of Jones-Wesley, intentionally walked Cahn but, with two down, senior catcher Stephanie Correia grounded out to end the game.
Sobczak finished the opening game with a season-high three hits.
During the nightcap, Cahn (1-11) held Long Beach State scoreless until the fifth when Carrasco produced a one-out sacrifice fly to score left fielder Hannah De Gaetano. Javier then singled to right center field to score second baseman Nalani St. Germain before catcher Karli Sandoval doubled to plate Schallig and Javier and further Long Beach State's lead to 4-0.
The Mustangs were limited to a solitary baserunner through the opening four innings by Long Beach State starting righthander Brooke Turner (9-5) before Correia and freshman right fielder Jillian Andersen singled in the fifth. Turner, however, struck out sophomore center fielder Whitley Gerhart and Romano to end the Mustang threat.
The 49ers added two runs during the sixth and one in the seventh to finalize the victory. The Mustangs pulled their run back during the bottom half of the seventh as Cahn opened the inning by smashing her homer well over the right field wall.
Cal Poly (6-31, 2-9) and Long Beach State (30-13, 8-3) will finalize the three-game series on Saturday at 12 noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Turner, Brooke (9-5)
L: Cahn, Anna (1-11)
Batting:
2B: De Gaetano, Hannah 2 ; Sandoval, Karli 1
3B: Javier, Liz 1
HR: Sandoval, Karli 1
RBI: Carrasco, Sarah 2 ; Javier, Liz 2 ; Sandoval, Karli 3
SH: DeBaun, Caitrin 1 ; Stephan, Bree 1
SF: Carrasco, Sarah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: De Gaetano, Hannah 2 ; St. Germain, Nalani 1 ; Carrasco, Sarah 1 ; Javier, Liz 1 ; Schallig, Christina 1 ; Sandoval, Karli 1
HBP: Javier, Liz 1
Batting:
HR: Cahn, Anna 1
RBI: Cahn, Anna 1
SH: Correia, Stephanie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cahn, Anna 1
