Cal Poly Pushes Win Streak to Five with Pair of Saturday Victories

Saturday, February 27

Stockton, CA

10 am

9-4

Cal State Bakersfield

3-5

CSU Bakersfield

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Pushes Win Streak to Five with Pair of Saturday Victories

2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

STOCKTON – Cal Poly softball junior righthander Sierra Hyland (top) struck out 10 and produced the eventual game-winning run Saturday morning as the Mustangs continued action at the Pacific-hosted Libby Matson Tournament with a 5-0 triumph against Cal State Bakersfield. The Mustangs then completed a Saturday sweep and won their fifth successive game by topping Purdue in game No. 2 of the doubleheader, 5-3.

During Saturday's opening victory against Cal State Bakersfield (3-5), Hyland (6-2) – the nation's leader this season with 94 strikeouts – retired the Roadrunners in order during the top of the first inning and Cal Poly collected all the runs it needed in the bottom half. With one down, sophomore center fielder Amanda Sandoval singled and stole second base ahead of junior left fielder Courtney Tyler's single. Hyland then delivered a double to plate Sandoval before senior first baseman Breana West brought home Tyler with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Staked to the 2-0 lead, Hyland conceded a two-out hit to Cal State Bakersfield in the second before retiring 13 successive Roadrunners. Cal State Bakersfield right fielder Julea Cavazos singled to lead off the seventh and moved to second base after Hyland walked center fielder Sydney Raeber. That sequence, however, marked the only time Cal State Bakersfield advanced a runner into scoring position.

Cal Poly (10-4) completed its scoring in the third inning as Hyland singled with two down to plate sophomore shortstop Chelsea Convissar before West doubled to right center field to score Hyland and Tyler for the 5-0 lead.

Hyland, who recorded her fourth double-digit strikeout game of 2015, walked just two in the 100-pitch performance.

During Saturday's second victory against Purdue (7-5), Cal Poly once more led from the onset as a one-out single in the top of the first inning from Tyler scored sophomore designated player Stephanie Heyward.

The Mustangs then ran their lead to 3-0 in the third as Sandoval swatted a two-out solo home run before West singled into center field to bring home Tyler.

Cal Poly starting righthander Lindsey Chalmers (4-2) conceded a solo homer to Purdue left fielder Lauren Stewart in the third, but the Mustangs pushed their lead to 5-1 in the top half of the fifth as junior second baseman Ashley Tornio and junior pinch runner Shawna McDonough scored following a throwing error from Boilermaker first baseman Mallory Baker.

Chalmers, who struck out three against one walk, allowed two more runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Hyland, however, preserved Cal Poly's lead and earned her first save of 2016 by striking out six without a hit during the final two and one-third innings.

Cal Poly closes tournament action against host Pacific on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 11:15 a.m.