Cal Poly Softball Drops Two Games at Easton Invitational

Saturday, March 2

Fullerton, Calif. (Easton Invitational)

9 am

5-13-1

Oregon State

9-9

Northwestern

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Softball Drops Two Games at Easton Invitational

3/2/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal Poly softball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at the Cal State Fullerton-hosted Easton Invitational, falling 11-2 in five innings to No. 24 Oregon State in the morning before losing 10-0 in six innings to Northwestern in the nightcap.

A six-run fourth inning by Oregon State (16-4) doomed the Mustangs (5-13-1) in the opener. The Beavers struck during the top of the first as designated player Dani Gilmore swatted a leadoff homer to right field. Cal Poly answered during the bottom half of the inning, beginning with junior second baseman Ashley Romano's leadoff double. A sacrifice bunt from junior third baseman Jillian Andersen advanced Romano (right) deeper in scoring position before, two batters later, a groundout from junior catcher Mariah Cochiolo plated Romano to deadlock the game.

Cal Poly starting lefthander Chloe Wurst (3-5-1) allowed a one-out solo homer to catcher Ally Kutz in the second, but was able to keep Oregon State off the scoreboard in the third after conceding three hits.   Trailing 2-1, the Mustangs were held hitless between the second and fourth innings. Oregon State took full advantage of Cal Poly's offensive inability and, highlighted by two-run hits from left fielder Ashley Sanchez and first baseman Natalie Hampton, put the game out of reach with the six-run fourth. In the fifth, Oregon State shortstop Elizabeth Santana produced a two-run triple as part of a three-run inning that pushed the Beaver advantage to 11-1.

Cal Poly found a run during the bottom of the fifth as freshman pinch runner Jessie Hinojosa scored on an illegal pitch by Oregon State starting righthander Marina Demore. The Mustangs, however, couldn't avoid the run-rule loss.

Coupled with Friday's 11-3 loss to No. 8 California, the game marked the fourth consecutive week in which the Mustangs have faced a pair of nationally ranked opponents.

Later in the evening, another big inning propelled the Wildcats (9-9), who scored five runs in the top of the second.

The Mustangs had two base runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first, after Romano led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a throwing error before Andersen bunted and then stole second.

Senior righthander Meghan Lamberth, though, proceeded to get a come-backer, a strikeout swinging and then a foul-out to first base to promptly get out of the inning safely. Cal Poly would strand five more runners the rest of the way, finishing with seven left on base.

Northwestern also benefited from four Cal Poly errors throughout the game (all in the infield).

The Wildcats tacked on one run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings before back-to-back sixth-inning homers by Amy Letourneau and Olivia Duehr pushed the lead to 10-0.

Wurst gave up 13 hits and three earned runs. She collected seven strikeouts and had two walks.

Romano singled in all three of her at-bats. Sophomore right fielder Celina Lafrades doubled in the bottom of the sixth, and freshman first baseman Breana West, Andersen and junior right fielder Cami Brown all added a single in the loss.

Lamberth (4-3) finished with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Mustangs will finish the tournament against Wisconsin (13-3) at 10:15 a.m. Sunday. Live stats for that game can be followed HERE.