Cal Poly Softball Team Drops ShareSLO Classic Openers to IUPUI

Thursday, March 5

4 pm

8-12

IUPUI

11-3

IUPUI

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Softball Team Drops ShareSLO Classic Openers to IUPUI

3/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sophomore righthander Sierra Hyland struck out four IUPUI hitters, but the Cal Poly softball program mustered just two hits through the first six innings versus the Jaguars and opened the 2015 ShareSLO Mustang Classic, a Thursday doubleheader and the team's 17-game home schedule with a 5-2 loss. Despite a complete-game effort from freshman righthander Lindsey Chalmers during game No. 2, Cal Poly fell by the same scoreline to the Jaguars in the nightcap.

During Thursday's opening game versus IUPUI (12-3), the Jaguars grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning through run-scoring hits from first baseman Taylor Chitwood and left fielder Maggie Good and a fielding error by Mustang junior first baseman Breana West.

Following the first inning, Hyland (6-8) retired 15 of the ensuing 17 hitters she faced until the seventh, when Jaguars catcher Eryn Dillon laced a double down the left field line to score pinch hitter Delilah Wright and third baseman Roni Patterson for a 5-0 Jaguars lead.

Offensively, Cal Poly failed to move a runner past second base until the seventh inning, when sophomore second baseman Ashley Tornio (top) followed a two-out Hyland double with a run-scoring double of her own. The next Mustang, freshman designated player Stephanie Heyward, then singled and Tornio scored on a throwing error to home plate by Chitwood to cut Cal Poly's deficit to 5-2. Mustang freshman shortstop Chelsea Convissar, however, popped out to end the matchup.

During Saturday's second game, Cal Poly grabbed its only lead of the day in the second inning. Hyland singled to lead off before moving to second after IUPUI right fielder Megan Cory sailed a throw back into the infield. Tornio then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Hyland to third before Heyward produced a sacrifice fly to center field to provide the Mustangs the 1-0 lead.

IUPUI, however, needed just a half-inning to tie the game as Patterson homered to center field with two down. An inning later, the Jaguars went up 2-1 after Cory doubled with two outs to plate Chitwood.

Held to one hit through the first four innings by Jaguars starting righthander Emili Escamilla, Cal Poly rallied to square the scoreline in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff West double and one-out Heyward single placed Mustangs at the corner bases and junior pinch hitter Betsy Colburn – after a 10-pitch at-bat – singled up the middle to tie the matchup 2-2.

Chalmers (2-4) stranded an IUPUI baserunner to close the sixth but, with the bases loaded and two down in the top of the seventh, conceded a bases-clearing double to Chitwood as the Mustangs entered the bottom of the seventh trailing 5-2.

2015 ShareSLO Mustang Classic
Bob Janssen Field (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

Thursday, March 5
IUPUI 5, Cal Poly 2
IUPUI 5, Cal Poly 2

Friday, March 6
San Diego vs. Sacramento State, 9 a.m.
Sacramento State vs. IUPUI, 11:30 a.m.
Southern Utah at Cal Poly, 2 p.m.
San Diego at Cal Poly, 4:30 p.m.
IUPUI vs. Southern Utah, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 7
Sacramento State vs. Bryant, 9 a.m.
Bryant vs. IUPUI, 11:30 a.m.
Sacramento State at Cal Poly, 2 p.m.
Southern Utah vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m.
Bryant vs. Southern Utah, 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 8
San Diego vs. Southern Utah, 9 a.m.
San Diego vs. Bryant, 11:30 a.m.
Bryant at Cal Poly, 2 p.m.