Pacific Coast Softball Conference

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 7, CAL STATE FULLERTON 3

FULLERTON, Calif. – Three LMU players finished with two hits on the night and senior starter Tiffany Pagano struck out six in the complete-game effort as the visiting Lions defeated Cal State Fullerton, 7-3, on Wednesday night at Anderson Family Field. The Lions get a win in their final non-conference game of the season to halt their losing streak at two games and improve to 26-14 while dropping the Titans to their second straight defeat and 18-20-1 overall.

Cal State Fullerton got on the board first in the second inning, taking advantage of an error to plate the game's first run. Lauren Lupinetti's double led off the inning and she moved to third on Jenna Wheeler's single back up the middle. Pagano recorded the second out on a strikeout and Wheeler took off for second base, getting herself caught in a rundown on the basepaths. However, as she was trying to make her way back to first, the throw got away, allowing Wheeler to move to second and Lupinetti to advance to home for the 1-0 lead.

The score remained that way until the fourth when the Lions struck for three runs to take the lead for good. Junior Chelsie Tysdal's double tied the game at one, giving her 40 RBI on the season. Two batters later, junior Megan Ackerman put the Lions ahead with a sacrifice fly and freshman Priscilla Satete later chopped a single down the left field line to drive home Tysdal and make it 3-1.

Fullerton responded with a run in its half of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Sammie Dabbs slotted a slow roller in the hole at short, beating out a throw and driving home K.C. Craddick to close the gap to 3-2.

However, Loyola Marymount extended its advantage with two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings as an error on sophomore Darcy Pagnini's single drove home a pair in the fifth and freshman Amy Charpentier added a two-run single in the sixth to cap the Lions' scoring.

Lupinetti got one of the runs back in the sixth with a solo home run but Pagano shut the door on the Titans the rest of the way.

Pagano (16-7) allowed two earned and walked three in the five-hitter. She struck out six to move into second place on the LMU single-season record list with 210, 17 behind her record set last year.

Ackerman finished the day 2-for-3 while junior Kirsten Slouber was 2-for-4 at the top of the order for her 18th multi-hit performance of the season. Pagnini also collected two hits in the victory.

Christine Hiner (9-10) suffered the loss for Fullerton, allowing six earned on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Lions return to Pacific Coast Softball Conference play this weekend with double headers at San Diego on Saturday and Sunday. Start times for both days is at noon.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

GAME 1: OREGON STATE 1, SAINT MARY’S (CA) 0

GAME 2: SAINT MARY’S (CA) 3, OREGON STATE 1

Moraga, Calif. – Saint Mary’s softball (15-19) earned a double-header split against Oregon State (24-19) Thursday afternoon, defeating the Beavers in the second game of the day, 3-1, after losing 1-0 in the first. The win marked the Gaels’ first victory over Oregon State since 1989.

Megan Galloway earned the win, holding the Beavers to four hits and one run, while striking out two. The senior leads Saint Mary’s with an 8-9 record this season, including 10 complete games in 18 appearances.

Saint Mary’s three runs were all scored in the bottom of the fifth, as sophomore Kat Delpit led off with a single up the middle. Second baseman, Bronwyn Russell, was the next Gael to find a gap, tagging a single to the left field.

With Delpit and Russell on third and second, sophomore Jenna Smith came up to the plate in hopes of RBIs. The designated player was just a few feet shy of yet another home run, posting a ground-rule double to bring both runners home. Smith leads the team with 26 RBI so far this season.

A final hit in the inning by Sadie Dolcini brought Smith home, as Dolcini posted a single to center. The three-run inning was all the Gaels needed to top the Beavers, as Galloway continued to quiet her opponents’ bats.

In the first game of the day freshman Maryanne Cronin provided stellar pitching, hold Oregon State to three hits and one run. The right hander did not allow a Beaver hit until the top of the fifth inning, and held Oregon State off home plate until the seventh. With two outs and a runner on second, the Beaver’s Cambria Miranda nailed a double to right center, bringing home their only run of the day.

Unfortunately for Cronin, the bats of the Gaels did not find their rhythm, as they went scoreless in the seventh. In the game Saint Mary’s finished with four hits and no runs against Oregon State’s Kelly Dyer, as she improved to 15-13 on the year.

The Gaels will return to Pacific Coast Softball Conference action this weekend, as they take a road trip down to Santa Clara, CA, where they face the Santa Clara Broncos in double headers on both Saturday and Sunday. The first pitch for both days is scheduled for 12:00 PM.

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