TURLOCK – Simon Fraser University junior catcher Nicole Ratel came in as a pinch hitter in the second inning and hit a grand slam homerun to lift the Clan to a 4-3 win over No. 21 ranked Sonoma State in the opening game of Day 2 at the Tournament of Champions Saturday at the Pedretti Softball Complex in Turlock, CA.
 
But the Clan followed that victory a short time later with a one sided 7-2 loss to Academy of Art to fall into the Platinum Bracket with a 2-3 record. Simon Fraser, 13-16 on the season, faces Cal State Dominguez Hills in a 9:00 AM game Sunday. The winner meets the winner of a matchup between Dominican and Sonoma State at 2:30 PM.
 
"The inconsistency of youth seems to be a recurring theme for us this season," said Clan coach Mike Renney. "The second game was a tough loss after we played an outstanding team game to get a win against a nationally ranked opponent."
 
Game 4 – SFU 4 Sonoma State 3
 
In the bottom of the second inning, Simon Fraser loaded the bases with three straight singles. After third base Stephanie Caron fouled out to short, Ratel came in to pinch hit for freshman catcher Katherine Murnaghan. Ratel launched a 1-0 pitch from Amanda Llerena up and over the center field fence with the bases loaded to give the Clan a 4-0 lead.
 
Sonoma State chipped away at the deficit, getting a run in the third inning on a double-steal attempt.  An inning later, Karly Macadangdang scored a run with a squeeze bunt, then Macadangdang came around to score on a couple of defensive miscues by the Clan, cutting the deficit down to one run at 4-3.
 
In their last chance, the Seawolves were able to load the bases, but with two outs, Simon Fraser pitcher Alia Stachoski got a line out to second base to end the game.
 
"Sonoma threatened to score with the bases loaded but Jessica (Goulet) and Alia combined to get the job done," said Renney.
 
Llerena allowed the four runs on the grand slam in the second inning, giving up six hits total  and one walk, while striking out three. 
 
Stachoski gave up five hits over four innings in relief of Jessica Goulet, picking up the win and improving to 6-3.
 
Game 5 – Academy of Art 7 SFU 2
 
Academy of Art jumped out to a 7-0 lead by scoring three runs in the first and fourth innings and then adding another in the fifth. Simon Fraser senior short stop Danielle Raison hit a two-run homerun in the sixth but it too late.
 
Fittingly, both Raison, who was 2-for-3 against AAU, and catcher Kaitlyn Cameron, joined the Clan's 100 hit club on Saturday. Both athletes came into the program together as freshmen and had their first hits in the same game and both registered their first homeruns in their freshmen year.
 
Stachoski was tagged with the los, dropping to 6-4.
 
During the Tournament of Champions Simon Fraser surpassed a milestone by playing its 1000^th game and the program now has an all-time record of 652 wins, 350 losses and 2 ties. The team won four NAIA National Championships in during time in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2010.
 
The 24-team tournament continues on Sunday in Turlock.