27-23, 10-11
UC Riverside
32-22-1, 8-13
Cal Poly Edges UC Riverside 1-0 in Dramatic 10-Inning Season Finale
5/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SAN LUIS OBISPO – In her final at-bat as a Mustang, senior first baseman Breana West's single down the right field line with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning led to the decisive run as the Cal Poly softball program closed the 2016 season with 1-0 triumph at Bob Janssen Field.
During the lengthiest game at Janssen Field since Cal Poly dropped a 2-1, 12-inning decision to CSUN on March 29, 2014, Mustang sophomore third baseman Stephanie Heyward led off the bottom of the 10th with a base hit. UC Riverside starting righthander Tayler Misfeldt (21-17) retired the next two Mustangs before West (above) sliced a single inside the right field foul line. With Heyward streaking toward third, UC Riverside right fielder Maddy Richard mishandled the bouncing hit and the error allowed the winning run to cross.
In the circle, junior righthander Sierra Hyland (15-7) struck out three without a walk and scattered seven hits in the complete-game effort.
Hyland faced just one batter over the minimum through the opening three innings. In the top of the fourth, Highlanders second baseman Haley Harris reached first through a Mustang fielding error. Harris eventually advanced to third base through a pair of groundouts, but Hyland struck out left fielder Courtnie Ploesch to strand Harris.
Hyland then retired six straight hitters before conceding successive hits to open the seventh. Two batters later, Highlanders first baseman Natalie Sanchez singled, but Mustang junior left fielder Courtney Tyler threw out center fielder Jenna Curtan at home plate to keep the matchup scoreless. The Highlanders eventually moved two baserunners into scoring position with two down, but Hyland induced a fly out that senior Betsy Colburn ran down in right field.
In the extra innings, Cal Poly (27-23, 10-11) loaded the bases with one down in the ninth, but Misfeldt forced a fly out by junior second baseman Ashley Tornio and a ground out from sophomore shortstop Chelsea Convissar en route to stranding 10 Mustangs during the matchup.
West, who finished 2-for-3 in her final collegiate game, then lifted Cal Poly to victory in the 10th. A .990 career fielder, West appeared in 193 of a possible 206 games during her career with 191 starts. She enjoyed her top offensive season as a senior with a career high .306 batting average and 41 hits.
Colburn's final game was her career high 49th start in a possible 50 appearances for Cal Poly in 2016. As a senior, she enjoyed career highs for hits (28) and doubles (eight).
Three Cal Poly players also closed the year with historic single season achievements. Hyland's 1.19 ERA in 2016 ranks as the fourth highest total in program single season history while her 194 strikeouts rank fifth. Heyward's .390 batting average and 62 hits both rank as the fourth highest totals. Meanwhile, sophomore center fielder Amanda Sandoval matched the Cal Poly single season record with 20 sacrifice bunts.
Cal Poly closed the year with six of the final seven games decided by a single run.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hyland, Sierra (15-7)
L: Tayler Misfeldt (21-17)
Batting:
SH: Jenna Curtan 1
Base Running:
SB: Natalie Sanchez 1
CS: Madeline Richard 1
Batting:
2B: Tyler, Courtney 1
SH: Hyland, Sierra 1 ; Colburn, Betsy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Heyward, Stephanie 1
CS: Sandoval, Amanda 1
