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Box Score 2 SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Going into the second game of their doubleheader with Cal State San Bernardino, the Pioneer women's softball team was 0-18 when trailing after four innings. However, the Pioneers erupted for six runs in the fifth inning to post an 8-5 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in the second game on Saturday. The Coyotes won the first game by a score of 6-4.
With the split, the Pioneers are 7-17 in CCAA play and 11-21 for the season. Cal State San Bernardino is also 7-17 in the CCAA and 11-25 overall.
For the second straight day, freshman pitcher
Kelsey Cairns picked up the victory. Cairns (2-0) allowed five runs (four earned) on 12 hits, two walks, and two strikeouts, going the distance for the second straight outing.
Meli Sanchez was the hitting star for the Pioneers, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.
Vika Kafoa continued her hot hitting with two singles in four plate appearances and also scored a pair of runs.
Lauren Vestal contributed to the Pioneer victory with a two-run single.
“Cairns threw a great game in her second collegiate start,” Pioneer Head Coach
Barbara Pierce said. "Our offense came through to shut the door early. We were finally able to string together hits and really get rolling on offense.”
Trailing 3-0, the Pioneers cut the deficit with two runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Sara Holdridge opened the inning with a single. Kafoa then singled through the right side, sending pinch runner
Shaunna Purkey to second. After both runners advanced on a double steal, Sanchez laced a two-out single to drive in both runners.
The Pioneers took the lead for good with a six-run fifth inning.
Mandy Dale led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. An infield hit by
Taryn Thomas put runners on first and third. After Holdridge was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Kafoa singled to left field, scoring Dale.
Sara Pacioni was then hit by a pitch, sending Thomas home with the go-ahead run. Sanchez followed with a base hit to score Holdridge. Kafoa came home on a wild pitch, and then Vestal drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single.
Cal State San Bernadino scored a run in the sixth and another seventh inning, but the Pioneers hung on for the three-run victory.
In the first game, Pacioni was 2-for-3 at the plate, including her first home run of the season.
Nicole Adair drove in a pair of runs, while Sanchez scored twice.
The Coyotes scored early with a run in the top of the first, eventually increasing their lead to 2-0 after four innings.
The Pioneers tied the game with two runs in the top of the fifth inning on Pacioni's blast over the center field fence, followed by a bases-loaded walk to Adair, which brought home Sanchez.
Cal State San Bernardino took a 6-2 lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, highlighted by a run-scoring triple by Darian Manuz and a RBI single off the bat of Charlotte Galzote.
East Bay would make things interesting in the top of the seventh. Pacioni singled to open the inning, then she moved to second when Sanchez was hit by a pitch. After two outs, Adair knocked in Pacioni with a base hit. Thomas followed with a double to drive in Sanchez, but Coyote pitcher Taylor Davis got the final out to preserve the game-one victory for the CSUSB.
“This was a good step in the right direction following the second game victory,” Pierce said. “We're looking to carry the momentum into the tournament next week.”
The Pioneers will be competing in the Mizuno Tournament of Champions, hosted by Cal State Staislaus, on April 5-7.
