Box Scores:
Game One
Game Two
TURLOCK — Wednesday's 2010 opening day for the new-look Cal State Stanislaus softball team was about learning and rebuilding. The results were mixed as the Warriors lost game one and settled for a tie in the nightcap against Academy of Art.
Stanislaus left 13 runners on base -- including the bases loaded twice -- to loose to the Urban Knights in the opener, 11-6. The Warriors then managed to push across a late run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the second game, 5-5, before it was called due to darkness.
"We are working on playing together as a team and gelling," CSUS head coach Jan Schefkowitz said. "Today we learned the type of team we are and going to be. We will be scrappy and I think we can score runs, but we will have to be opportunistic."
The Warriors weren't as opportunistic as Schefkowitz would have liked as they stranded 13 runners including eight in scoring position. They left the bags full in the first and fifth innings and were cut-down at the plate on come-backers to the pitcher twice.
Still, Stanislaus rallied late and made a push. Trailing 8-1 in the fifth, the Warriors put together two two-run innings to pull within three at 8-5. Both rallies included a RBI double by
Missy Corral, who finish the twinbill with a 3-for-6, three double day.
Freshman
Sarah Locarnini made her collegiate debut a splash, going 3-for-5 in the No. 2 spot and stole three bases in game one. Locarnini, a lefthanded slapper, and Division I transfer
Cassandra Carlos gave the Warriors some speed at the top of the order.
Carlos went 2-for-5, stole two bags and scored twice in game one.
"(Sarah and C.C.) will have to set the tables for us and from there we have gap power to score runs," Schefkowitz said.
Stanislaus starter
Jennifer Arnold was tagged with the loss. She allowed 13 hits, struck out four and walked four in seven innings. She also went 1-for-4 with a double at the plate in game one. She homered in the nightcap to finish the day 2-for-6.
AAU was led by Ashley Lokey and Jayme Stewart each with three hits. Shampayne Clay also went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs with two doubles. Stewart was 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Sierrah Garcia picked up the win despite issuing nine walks. She allowed nine hits and struck out seven.
In the nightcap,
Brittani Weatherford made her collegiate debut in the circle for the Warriors and was impressive early on. She gave up two first-inning runs on a double and a fielding error but tossed three scoreless innings until the fifth. Weatherford struckout five and walked one and gave up six hits in five innings.
Academy of Art erased a 4-2 Warrior lead with a three-run homer by Alana Aweau in the fifth to make it 5-4. That AAU rally answered a three-run fourth by the Warriors that included a
Kiley Mendez two-run single and a single by
Ashton Brown.
In the home half of the fifth, Brown was hit on the elbow with the bases loaded to allow the Warriors to score the tying run. With the bases still loaded, AAU reliever Garcia got a groundout to end the inning as the officials called the game due to darkness.
Aweau led the Urban Knights in game two, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
Cal State Stanislaus is next in action on Friday during its Mizuno Best of the West Invitational at Pedretti Park. The Warrior's first scheduled contest is at 1 p.m. against Davis and Elkins College of Elkins, W.V. For a complete tournament schedule, visit WarriorAthletics.com/BWI.