BURNABY, BC – Simon Fraser University lost a pitchers' duel in extra innings and then all of its momentum, dropping a pair of softball games to Central Washington Wildcats Saturday at Beedie Field on campus in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference openers for both teams.
CWU shortstop Taylor Ferleman hit a two-run home run in extra innings to break a 1-1 tie to lead the Wildcats to a 3-1 win in Game 1, and then the Wildcats exploded for four runs in the opening inning of Game 2, leading to a 7-0 victory.
With the two losses Simon Fraser drops to 8-8 overall, 0-2 in the GNAC. Central Washington opens the conference schedule with a 2-0 record, 8-5 overall.
In Game 1 freshman designated player
Taylor Lundrigan lead off the fifth in with her fourth homerun of the season to stake the Clan to a 1-0 lead that last all the way to the top of the seventh.
It took until the final inning for the Wildcats to solve Clan pitcher
Kelsie Hawkins, scoring their first run of the game to force extra innings. Austin Wilkerson led off the inning with a walk and pinch runner Michaela Hazlett eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by CWU pitcher Kiana Wood.
""It looked like Hawkins was going to steal one for us but when you play a good team, keep them in the game, and let them see your pitcher long enough they will eventually score," said Clan head coach
Mike Renney.
In the eighth inning Sammy Morris reached base on an infield single and Ferleman followed with her game-winning homerun to dead centerfield to give the Wildcats the final 3-1 advantage.
SFU ace Hawkins had given up just three hits in the contest until the seventh inning. Hawkins (4-1) went the distance, tossing a six-hitter with eight strikeouts.
"I was really pleased with our pitching performance by Hawkins because she is not yet 100 percent but delivered a gutsy performance on the mound," said head coach
Mike Renney.
Wood (4-1) gave up just three hits through eight innings of work, including the solo homerun in the fifth inning to Lundrigan.
"I was really disappointed with our offence from start to finish," added Renney. "We took far too long to adjust to the pitching and when we finally did we were not aggressive enough."
In Game 2, Clan freshman starter
Alia Stachoski gave up a pair of doubles in the opening inning that scored two runs each, and the Wildcats added another run in the second. Stachoski gave up nine hits and six runs over the first four innings before giving way to
Jessica Goulet. Stachoski was tagged with the loss and is now 3-2.
"With Central coming off the high of winning Game 1 and a freshman pitcher on the mound it was a tipping point," said Renney. "We got behind early and our offence simply didn't show up. Our offence wasn't good, our defence wasn't good and our pitching wasn't good and when all three of those things falter you are not going to beat anybody."
CWU pitcher Lindsey Kamphuis tossed a complete game shutout to complete the sweep of the Clan with the 7-0 victory in Game 2. Kamphuis was dominant, throwing all seven innings, allowing just five hits while fanning six to improve to 3-3.
Simon Fraser had just eight hits combined over both contests.
SFU plays a double header Sunday against Concordia University at Beedie Field beginning at 2 PM.
