Softball Eliminated From NCAA Regional With Loss To Fresno State
5/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Los Angeles, CA - The Saint Mary's softball team fell to Fresno State, 0-6, in the elimination game of the 2010 NCAA Los Angeles Regional on Saturday. The Gaels finish the year with a 30-23 record after making their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
The game started as a pitchers duel between SMC's RHP Britany Linton and Fresno State's LHP Morgan Melloh as both teams went scoreless in the first three frames of the elimination game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. But a big five-run sixth inning for the Bulldogs eliminated the Gaels from on day two.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back singles by Alexis Lujan and Nicole Angene. Angene's single down the left field line scored Caitlin Stiglich from second who had worked a lead off walk.
Angene would drive in two more Bulldog runs in the sixth, driving a two-run home run to left center, her sixth of the year. Linton got Rebecca Walker to foul out to Tiffany Gonzales down the left field line before Brooke Phipps got on with a double down the left field line. Haley Gilleland hit the second home run of the inning for the Bulldogs, this one hitting the yellow line atop the left field fence, to put Fresno State up 5-0.
Kimberly Green came in for Linton after Gilleland's home run as Linton got through 5.1 innings, giving up nine hits and five earned runs.
Fresno State added one more in the five-run fifth inning on an infield single to short by Courtney Moore. Moore finished 2-for-4 from the plate and was one of three Bulldog hitters with two hits.
Green finished out the inning, allowing two hits and one run, ending the Fresno State six-run rally.
The Gaels threatened in the first as Rebecca Sabatini jumped on the second pitch of the game, driving a lead off single through the left side to get things started for the SMC. Kayla Gonzales followed with a sacrifice bunt in front of the catcher, moving Sabatini over to second. K. Gonzales finished the season with a team-high 15 sacrifice hits.
Fresno State starter Morgan Melloh struck out two SMC hitters to end the threat. Melloh would go on to strike out 12 batters on the day.
The Gaels had four hits on the day, including one from senior Jenna Smith who finished 1-for-1 from the plate with two walks.
The Gaels had a great 2010 season, finishing with a program best 30-23 record. SMC also notched the most wins in program history, its first ever Pacific Coast Softball Conference title, and its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
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