Mustangs Open Final Home Series by Falling Twice to Long Beach State

Saturday, May 2

12 pm

22-28, 5-11

Long Beach State

23-24, 10-6

Long Beach State

Cal Poly

Mustangs Open Final Home Series by Falling Twice to Long Beach State

5/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sophomore righthander Sierra Hyland (right) struck out four Long Beach State hitters and allowed just four hits in a complete-game effort, but a two-run homer from 49ers second baseman LT Torres stood as the difference as the Mustangs – in a nationally-televised, ESPNU matchup from Bob Janssen Field – dropped game No. 1 of a Saturday doubleheader, 2-1. Despite a two-run homer from Hyland in game No. 2, Cal Poly also dropped the back end of its doubleheader in nine innings, 7-4.

During Saturday's opening game – the first nationally televised contest in program history and first broadcasted matchup from Bob Janssen Field – Cal Poly (22-29, 5-12) stranded three baserunners through the opening two innings before scoring the game's first run in the third. Sophomore right fielder Courtney Tyler followed senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci's leadoff single with a hit of her own and, with two Mustangs in scoring position, Hyland produced a sacrifice fly to center field to score Ceccacci for the 1-0 advantage.

In the circle, Hyland (17-19) – after conceding Long Beach State singles in the first and second innings – retired nine successive 49ers before walking designated player Summer Pohl with one down in the fifth. Hyland forced a fly out from right fielder Hannah Cookson but, with two outs, Torres belted her first home run of 2015 over the right field wall to place Long Beach State up 2-1.

Hyland recovered to strand the bases loaded in the top of the sixth and retired the 49ers in order during the seventh, but Cal Poly was held hitless during the final three innings in dropping its 10th one-run game of 2015.

During Saturday's second contest, Long Beach State (24-24, 11-6) snatched the opening lead as a one-out, two-run double by designated player Lauren Lombardi in the top of the first inning placed the 49ers in front. As part of its three-run first, Long Beach State then proceeded to load the bases versus Mustang starting righthander Lindsey Chalmers before catcher Lauren MacLeod drew a bases-loaded walk.

Chalmers, however, limited the 49ers to just one hit during the next two innings and the Mustangs chipped away at Long Beach State's lead during the bottom half of the third. With two down and Ceccacci on second base through a Long Beach State fielding error, Tyler put the Mustangs on the scoreboard with a run-scoring single to left field. Two Mustangs later, freshman third baseman Stephanie Heyward singled to bring home Tyler and trim Cal Poly's deficit to 3-2.

The 49ers extended the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth with shortstop Shayna Kimbrough scoring through a bases-loaded fielding error by Heyward.

Through Hyland's homer, however, Cal Poly tied the matchup in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman shortstop Chelsea Convissar led off with a single and, after stealing second base, Hyland swatted her team-leading fourth home run of the season to left center field.

With 10 career homers, Hyland now ranks sixth in Cal Poly program history.

Back in the circle, Hyland took over for over Chalmers with one out in the third and allowed just one hit until the top of the ninth, when 49ers center fielder Leilani Tupua-Tautalatasi and left fielder Haley Tobler led off with successive singles. A Cookson sacrifice bunt moved both players into scoring position before a MacLeod fielder's choice scored Tupua-Tautalatasi to place the 49ers in front for certain. Tobler later scored on a passed ball by Mustang sophomore catcher Taylor Yzaguirre before a run-scoring Torres single contributed to the final run of the day and a 7-4 lead.

In response, Cal Poly was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth. Cal Poly fell to 2-5 in extra-inning games this season while Long Beach State won its first extra-inning game in seven attempts.

Cal Poly closes its 16-game home schedule and its series versus Long Beach State with a 12 noon matchup on Sunday, May 3. Prior to the matchup, Cal Poly will honor its lone graduating senior in Ceccacci.