LA VERNE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team bounced back from a loss in the season opener season with an 8-0 run-rule victory against host La Verne on Sunday afternoon.
After CSUSM surrendered three runs in the bottom of the fifth to fall 5-3 in game one,
Melyssa Bellamy hit a 3-run homerun before
Olivia Lucatuorto and
Robyn Alvara added two-run doubles in game two, which lasted just five innings.
CSUSM and La Verne are both 1-1 on the young season. The Cougars have a week off before traveling to face La Sierra on Sunday, February 1.
Game 1CSUSM fell behind early in game one, as La Verne capitalized with two unearned runs after a Cougar error in the bottom of the third.
Lindsay Cerulle and Alvara singled to lead off the top of the fifth.
Naomi Amu, playing in her first game as a Cougar, launched a three-run homerun over the left-field fence to put CSUSM in the lead, 3-2.
However, the Leopards rallied to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth and Katy Kibbe tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. Amanda Chavez followed with a two-run single to center to make it 5-3.
The Cougars would put the game-tying run aboard with one out in the top of the seventh, but Kibbe struck out
Tayler Ybarra before forcing
Caylyn Rodriguez into a groundout to end the contest.
Kibbe (1-0) earned the victory after coming on in relief for the final two and two-thirds innings.
Ashley Dagenais (0-1) was credited with the loss after four innings of relief in which she gave up six hits, three earned runs and five walks.
Amu started game one, working two innings while surrendering two hits and no runs.
Game 2The Cougars got started in the third inning of game two. Cerulle walked, Lucatuorto singled, and Bellamy brought everyone home with a three-run homerun to center field.
CSUSM put a cap on the game with a five-run, two-out rally in the top of the fourth. After
Devin Vanderhoff flied out and Ybarra grounded out to second base, Rodriguez singled and Cerulle reached on an error by the first baseman.
Lucatuorto followed with a double to left center, bringing home Rodriguez and Cerulle to make it 5-0.
Bellamy walked to put runners on the corners before Amu singled through the left side to bring home Lucatuorto.
Alvara capped the rally with another two-run double, scoring Amu and Bellamy to make it 8-0.
All CSUSM's runs in the top of the fourth were unearned.
Katie Wilkinson (1-0) earned her first victory of the season after working all five innings. She sprayed two hits while striking out three and walking three.
