Softball Smoked by #4 Point Loma
March 17, 2007

Complete Box Scores »» Game 1    Game 2

Facing the 4th-ranked team in the NAIA on Saturday, Cougar softball proved no match, losing by scores of 7-0 and 18-5.

Game one saw Point Loma ace KC Robertson shut down the Cougar lineup, allowing just three hits over six scoreless innings of work. While CSUSM made good contact throughout the contest, they just couldn't seem to find holes. Robertson did her part, striking out two and walking none en route to picking up a very efficient win.

Meanwhile, Cougar ace Melissa Lerno did her best to limit the loaded Point Loma lineup, but couldn't hold them off. Lerno struggled to get her off-speed stuff over the plate, and it didn't take the Lions long to get the timing down on her fastball. They manufactured runs in the second and third, then broke through for 3 in the fourth thanks to a bases-clearing triple by Laressa Newman.

They'd tack on two more in the fifth with RBI's by Jessica Hibma and Melissa Gomez. Robertson was relieved by Vanessa Parra, who pitched a perfect 7th to close out the game.

Bright spots for the Cougars included shortstop Holly Russell, who got off to an 0-for-17 start to the season but is really swinging the bat well as of late. She tallied one of the team's two hits with a towering double over the left fielder's head. And Erica Coelho came on in relief of Lerno to throw two perfect innings.

Unfortunately, the Cougar pitcher wouldn't fare as well in game two. Things started off well for CSUSM, as Coelho escaped a first inning jam scoreless, and the Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Coelho herself started the inning with a single, and walks to Lerno and Amanda Sanchez loaded the bases. Sanchez's at-bat was particularly impressive, as she fought off pitch after pitch (11 in total) before earning her free pass to first. Elizabeth Bush then plated the first run with a sac fly, and Holly Russell continued her hot hitting by blasting a two-run triple to the left field wall.

But the lead would be short-lived. Point Loma struck back for 6 in the top of the second, highlighted by an Erica Ricker RBI double. Only half the runs were earned, due to the inning being prolonged by an error. CSUSM's defense was subpar on the day, as the team misplayed numerous balls and often looked worn out, specifically in game two.

Both teams scored a pair of runs in the third, with the Cougar runs thanks to a two-RBI single by Bush. Amanda Sanchez came in to relieve Coelho, and was effective to begin withAfter a scoreless fourth, it was anybody's ballgame with the score 8-5.

The fifth inning, however, would remove any doubt about the outcome. Point Loma scored 10 runs in the frame, eventually driving Sanchez from the game and forcing Lerno into pitching again. A costly error (one of three in the inning) with one out allowed the first runner to reach, and from then on the floodgates opened. At one point 12 straight Point Loma batters reached base, before Lerno finally escaped with a lineout.

With the score 18-5, the game was called due to the mercy rule when CSUSM failed to score in the bottom of the 5th.

The losses drop CSUSM to 3-17 on the season, while Point Loma improves to 16-2.

The Cougars will have little time to rest and regroup; they're playing at the Sun West tournament on Sunday.