Pacific Coast Softball Conference

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS LIONS GRAB PCSC LEAD BUT FIND VIKINGS AND GAELS HUNTING
Defending Pacific Coast Softball Conference champion Loyola Marymount completed a four-game sweep of Sacramento State by taking both games of Sunday’s doubleheader and conclude the third week of PCSC action with a one-game lead over Portland State and Saint Mary’s. The Lions entered the weekend two games behind the Hornets for first place and entered Sunday in a four-way tie for first, along with the Vikings and Gaels.

The Lions are 33-15 overall and 8-4 in PCSC play. The Hornets, 24-19, 6-6 PCSC, fall to fourth place, two games behind Loyola Marymount.

Portland State (24-24) and Saint Mary’s (21-22) split their twinbill Sunday at Erv Lind Stadium in Portland and both are now 7-5 in PCSC play.

However, the road to a second straight PCSC title will not be easy for the Loyola Marymount. The Lions will play their final eight conference games away from home and travel to the two teams that currently sit a game behind. Loyola Marymount will be at Portland State next weekend before concluding the regular-season with a four-game set at Saint Mary’s, May 3-4 in Moraga, Calif.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT COMPLETES WEEKEND SWEEP OF SACRAMENTO STATE
LOS ANGELES -- LMU reclaimed sole possession of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference lead, taking both games Sunday over Sacramento State to sweep the four-game series at Smith Field. The Lions (33-15, 8-4 PCSC) got tremendous output from its two seniors to win 8-6 and 4-2 over the Hornets (24-19, 6-6 PCSC) in the final home games of the season.

The Lions had honored their two graduating seniors, Tracy Cook and Tiffany Pagano, prior to the day’s play and both were instrumental in the day’s victories. Cook went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in game one and Pagano became LMU’s all-time leader in wins by gaining the decision in game two.

The low-scoring pitchers’ duels in Saturday’s LMU sweep gave way to the long ball on Sunday. Junior Megan Ackerman homered twice in the opener, including her second career grand slam, and junior Darcy Pagnini also went yard to pace the Lions’ attack.

LMU found itself trailing 1-0 after two walks and a sacrifice fly pushed across the first Hornet run in the second. The Lions bounced back with the long ball as Pagnini tied the game in the third with a one-out solo homer to left-center, her sixth of the year. After Cook, making her season debut, kept the inning alive with a two-out single to right, Ackerman put the Lions on top 3-1 with a two-run shot to right-center.

The Hornets replied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. After registering just one hit off sophomore Melissa Dykema through the first two innings, they broke through for four singles, including run-scoring knocks from Izmena Cabrera and Kayla Meeks, to tie it up at 3-3.

LMU reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth. A single by Pagnini and walks to freshman Amy Charpentier and junior Chelsie Tysdal loaded the bases with two outs for Cook. The senior, who had been injured all season and was making her first appearance since it was Senior Day, came through with the go-ahead hit with a single to center. On the very next pitch, Ackerman dealt the biggest blow of the game with a grand slam, the second of her career, to put LMU ahead 8-3. Ackerman’s home run was her third of the weekend, ninth of the season, and 19th of her career, moving her into fourth place on LMU’s career list.

Neither starter was able to finish the job as the game was turned over to the bullpens in the fifth inning. Hornet starter Kayla Meeks was knocked out of the game in the fifth and Dykema followed suit for the Lions after allowing two runners to reach with one out in the fifth. On came Pagano, who walked the first batter she faced to load the bases. She then registered the second out as Teri Ann Coaogan grounded to third with the Lions forcing the lead runner at the plate. The Hornets kept coming as Jenice Bartee brought a
run back with a slow chopper to the pitcher, just beating Pagano’s throw as a run came home. Rachel Miles just missed tying the game, hitting a long fly to left that fell just foul, before ending the inning by grounding into a fielder’s choice to third.

Still, Sacramento State was not done, pulling back to 8-6 in the sixth when sophomore J.J. Hartung threw away a grounder with two outs that allowed two unearned runs to score. In the seventh, Pagano retired the first two batters but walked Miles to bring the tying run to the plate in Whitney Loomis. She got Loomis to chop back to her to end the game.

Dykema (12-7) was credited with the win in 4 1/3 innings. She allowed four runs on six hits. Pagano went 2 2/3, giving up two unearned runs on two hits.

Meeks (11-8) took the loss after conceding eight runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Clifford tossed a two-hitter over the final 2 2/3 innings.

Ackerman finished 3-for-3 with the two homers and six RBI. Charpentier, Pagnini, Cook, and junior MiaSarah Cesena each had two hits for the Lions.

Ackerman got the Lions going in game two, leading off a three-run second inning with a double. Sophomore Christine Foley brought her home with a single and freshman Priscilla Satete followed with a single of her own to knock Hornet starter Megan Schaefer from the game. Clifford came on in relief to record the inning’s first out but junior Kirsten Slouber and Charpentier delivered back-to-back run-scoring singles to make it 3-0. The Lions added a run in the fifth when Tysdal doubled home Charpentier, who had singled earlier.

In the meantime, Pagano was cruising, taking a no-hitter into the fifth before Meeks’ blooper dropped in for a hit. To that point, Pagano had retired ten in a row and faced just one over the minimum. Meeks’ single opened the door for the Hornets, who went on to load the bases with no outs in the fifth. Pagano came back to get the next two outs without allowing a run but Amy Tompkins blooped a ball to left that Cesena dove to grab. The umpire ruled that it had bounced first and two runs came home. Pagano struck
out Hilary Johnson to maintain LMU’s two-run advantage.

Sacramento State had another chance in the sixth, putting the first two runners on with no outs and moving them to second and third with two outs. Again Pagano bore down, striking out Amanda Meyer to strand the tying run on second before retiring the side in order in the seventh.

In her final start at Smith Field Pagano (21-8) became the Lions’ all-time wins leader with her 70th victory and third on the weekend. She struck out nine and walked two while allowing two runs and four hits.

Slouber bounced back from an 0-for-5 performance in game one to go 2-for-4 in the second contest for her 25th multi-hit game of the season. Tysdal was 2-for-3 and drove in her league-leading 42nd run.

Schaefer (3-4) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in one inning of work.

LMU, who opened the weekend in fourth place, takes over first place in the PCSC standings thanks to its sweep of Sacramento State and a split in the weekend series between Saint Mary’s and Portland State. The Lions still have to face the latter two teams, traveling to Portland State next weekend and closing out the season at Saint Mary’s May 3-4.

PORTLAND STATE, SAINT MARY’S SPLIT
PORTLAND – Portland State and Saint Mary’s (CA) split a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Erv Lind Stadium, with the Gaels winning game one 2-1 and the Vikings taking the nightcap 6-5. The two teams also split Saturday’s twinbill and split the series 2-2.

Both the Vikings (24-24, 7-5 PCSC) and Gaels (21-22, 7-5 PCSC) entered the day in a four-way tie, along with Loyola Marymount and Sacramento State, for first place in the PCSC. The Lions swept the Hornets Sunday in Los Angeles and now hold a one-game lead over both Portland State and Saint Mary’s with eight conference games remaining.

Portland State will host Loyola Marymount in a four-game conference series at Erv Lind Stadium, next Saturday and Sunday.

Senior right fielder Megan Galloway hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Gaels to a 2-1 win in the first game. Portland State jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings in game two and escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to salvage the split in game two.

Freshman right-hander Maryanne Cronin (7-5) earned the win in game one, while senior right-hander Mandy Hill (13-14) was charged with the loss.

Freshman right-hander Nichole Latham (9-9) was the winning pitcher in the nightcap, with Hill earning her second save of the season. Galloway (10-12) took the loss.

Galloway, though, went a combined 3-for-6 with six RBI at the plate. She also added a two-run blast in the nightcap as she recorded her fourth and fifth home runs of the season.

Junior first baseman Jana Rae Slayton went 4-for-7 with a home run and four RBI in the twinbill for the Vikings. Slayton hit her fourth home run of the season with a solo shot in game one.

The Vikings’ next action will be Saturday when they open their four-game series against Loyola Marymount with a doubleheader at Erv Lind Stadium starting at noon. The two teams will also play a twinbill Sunday at noon.

GAME 1: SAINT MARY’S 2, PORTLAND STATE 1
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Jenna Smith led-off the inning with a single for Saint Mary’s. Galloway then hit a first-pitch offering from Hill over the fence in left center to give the Gaels a 2-1 lead.

Cronin scattered six hits and walked none in earning the win.

Hill was equally effective, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks in suffering the loss. She also struck out six.

Slayton went 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings at the plate. She hit her fourth home run of the year with a one-out solo shot in the second inning to give Portland State a 1-0 lead.

Senior center fielder Molly Bergeson went 2-for-3 to lead the Gaels at the plate.

GAME 2: PORTLAND STATE 6, SAINT MARY’S 5
Saint Mary’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, however, Hill coaxed junior catcher Sadie Dolcini to foul out to short to end the game and preserve the Vikings’ 6-5 victory.

The Gaels entered the inning trailing 6-4, and senior second baseman Bronwyn Russell led-off the frame with a single. A batter later, an error off the bat of Smith put runners on second and third, and Galloway was intentionally walked with one out to load the bases for senior left fielder Sandra Ruezga. Ruezga struck out looking for the second out of the inning, however, sophomore third baseman Katherine Delpit reached on an infield single to extend the game and plate Russell to make it 6-5. Dolcini then fouled out to end the game.

Portland State scored a run in the first and added five runs in the second inning to build a 6-0 lead. Slayton highlighted the inning with a two-out single that scored both senior right fielder Shannon Stacy and junior second baseman Jamee Rauch, and junior center fielder Jackie Heide scored on the play off a throwing error by Bergeson, making the score 6-0.

Galloway, who finished 2-for-3 with four RBI, had a two-run double in the third and two-run home run in the fifth to pull the Gaels to within 6-4.

Latham allowed four runs on six hits and two walks, and struck out five over five innings to earn the decision.

Hill was charged with one unearned run on three hits and one walk, while striking out one to earn the save.

Galloway (10-12) was charged with six runs, five earned, on seven hits and one walk in 1 2/3 innings in suffering the loss. She also fanned two.

Sophomore third baseman De’Chauna Skinner went 3-for-4 to lead the Vikings’ 11-hit attack.

Dolcini was 3-for-4 at the Gaels recorded nine hits.

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