By Esteban Ramirez
Sports Editor
After a shutout performance by senior pitcher Kelsie Monroe to give CSU Bakersfield a 2-0 win in the first game, the ’Runners softball team followed with an 8-0 loss and split the doubleheader against the University of the Pacific at the Roadrunner Softball Complex on Feb. 21.
“We were OK,” CSUB softball coach Crissy Buck-Ziegler said. “We should’ve had a better outing in the second game. We had a good outing in the first, but the second game was not a good performance and we have to do a lot better. We have to get a lot better. We just didn’t come to play in that second game.”
In the first game of the double header, CSUB (4-8) got a good performance from Monroe (3-5), who earned the win for the team and pitched all seven innings. She also finished with five strikeouts and only gave up four hits the whole game.
“Kelsie’s got guts,” Buck-Ziegler said. “She’s being a senior, she’s leading very well, she’s got a lot of guts on the mound and I’m proud of her.”
Despite Monroe’s performance, the game was still tied until the third inning.
With freshman Amber Mills on third and senior Madison Bundy on second, junior Alexandrea Simmons singled up the middle and scored both runners to give CSUB a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers (4-9) were having trouble getting runners on base but in the seventh inning they were able to get senior Kamalei Pitoy to third and sophomore Cassidy Gustafson to second with two outs, but Monroe once again made a big play for CSUB by striking out freshman Rachel Sellers to end the game.
“I think we have to go out and expect to win every game, but not underestimate or over look anyone,” Monroe said. “I think pitching for contact and letting my defense work behind me that’s what I was working with. My pitches weren’t moving as well today, but I know I have a good defense behind me.”
Simmons led the way for CSUB hitting with one hit and two RBIs on two at-bats. Freshman pitcher Marissa Young (1-3) took the loss for the Tigers.
In the second game, CSUB had trouble mustering any offense against the Tiger’s starting pitcher Gustafson, who held the Roadrunners to three hits.
The Tigers came out strong from the start by tacking on five runs in the first two innings and forcing Mills out of the game before the end of the second inning.
While CSUB’s pitching had its struggles, their offense still couldn’t find success getting on base against Gustafson. The Tigers kept their offense rolling as they tacked on three more runs, including one in the sixth and final inning.
Simmons was the lone bright spot for the ’Runners offense in the second game as she went 2-of-3 hitting. Gustafson (1-0) got the win and Mills (0-2) took the loss for the ’Runners.
“We came out not as hungry and it was kind of flat-footed and it shouldn’t be like that,” Simmons said. “We should go in and take every game full force, going hard every pitch every inning and once we let up that’s when they find room to step on us. We just need to keep that in mind for next time.”
Monroe added that they need to take the same mentality to every game.
“I think we should see every game like it’s the [Western Athletic Conference] Championship,” Monroe said. “Just putting yourself there now so it’s not so big then, but I think it is just mentality and laziness a little bit. [Therefore], we need to flip that this week in practice, so it doesn’t again.”
CSUB will go on the road to play at the Loyola Marymount University and CSU Northridge tournament. The ’Runners will start the tournament with a game against the Sacramento State Hornets at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 27.
