7-9
Florida
19-0
Mustangs Fall to Top-Ranked Florida, San Diego State at San Diego Classic
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SAN DIEGO – Sophomore righthander Sierra Hyland finished with six strikeouts versus No. 1 Florida on Friday afternoon, but the Cal Poly softball team fell to the defending Women's College World Series-champion Gators to open play at the San Diego Classic, 6-1. Cal Poly also fell in its nightcap matchup to host San Diego State, 8-2.
During Friday's opening matchup versus top-ranked Florida (19-0), Hyland retired the first six Gators she faced before hitting left fielder Briana Little to begin the third inning. Little then moved to second base through a sacrifice bunt and third on a Hyland wild pitch before scoring as Florida second baseman Kelsey Stewart produced a two-out single.
Florida then furthered its lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth as catcher Taylore Fuller swatted a three-run homer to left field.
The Mustangs, meanwhile, stranded two baserunners in scoring position to end the first and one more to close the second before scratching out their lone run in the bottom half of the fourth. After Hyland drew a leadoff walk, senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci produced a sacrifice bunt to move freshman pinch runner Alina Goodrum to second. Two batters later, freshman designated hitter Stephanie Heyward doubled to score Goodrum.
Florida, however, tacked on two more runs in the fifth as Fuller homered again – a two-run shot – to left center.
Hyland (6-6) walked just two hitters for Cal Poly.
During Friday's second game versus San Diego State (10-6), Cal Poly scratched out the game's opening run in the bottom of the first inning as Hyland followed a two-out double from sophomore right fielder Courtney Tyler with a single up the middle. On the sequence, Tyler scored following a throwing error by Aztecs center fielder Hayley Miles.
After keeping San Diego State to one hit during the opening two innings, Mustang starting righthander Lindsey Chalmers (1-3) conceded two runs to the Aztecs in the top of the third – first on a steal of home by left fielder Kayla Jordan and then on a two-out, run-scoring single from designated player Lorena Bauer.
Chalmers recovered to retire the Aztecs in order in the fourth and Cal Poly struck back in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game as Mustang second baseman Ashley Tornio (above) led off with a home run down the left field line.
San Diego State, however, exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-out, two-run hit from catcher Jenavee Peres.
Trailing 7-2, Cal Poly advanced just one baserunner into scoring position the remainder of the matchup while the Aztecs notched the game's final run in the sixth as first baseman Sydnee Cable singled to score Jordan.
Tyler finished with a game-high three hits against San Diego State while Hyland recorded two.
Cal Poly (7-10) continues San Diego Classic play on Saturday, Feb. 28 versus St. John's (11:30 a.m.) and Iowa State (2 p.m.).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lauren Haeger (9-0)
L: Hyland, Sierra (6-6)
S: Aleshia Ocasio (2)
Batting:
2B: Kelsey Stewart 1 ; Kirsti Merritt 1
HR: Taylore Fuller 2
RBI: Kelsey Stewart 1 ; Taylore Fuller 5
SH: Janell Wheaton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kirsti Merritt 1 ; Lauren Haeger 1 ; Bailey Castro 1 ; Taylore Fuller 2 ; Briana Little 1
HBP: Briana Little 1 ; Nicole DeWitt 1
Batting:
2B: Heyward, Stephanie 1
RBI: Heyward, Stephanie 1
SH: Convissar, Chelsea 1 ; Ceccacci, Emily 1 ; Heyward, Stephanie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Goodrum, Alina 1
