Steven Gaede
Sports Co-Editor
CSUB softball wins in walk-off fashion
The CSUB softball team won a thrilling game, 5-4 over valley rivals Fresno State thanks to a walk-off hit by Pacific Coast Softball Conference Player of the Week, junior shortstop Shay Fryer.
Fryer was having an outstanding game before her seventh inning heroics, putting icing on the cake with her game-winning RBI single.
The story was ready to be written when redshirt center fielder Laura King reached base on her fourth hit of the game in the seventh. From there, Fryer took care of business the only way she knew how to.
“We played our game the whole way out and we just really wanted this one back, so we took it,” Fryer said.
Going into the game’s final at-bat with a pair of hits, Fryer was able to pad her stats with her clutch performance.
“I had been caught up all day at the plate, so I just wanted to stay cool and do what I do with the bat,” Fryer said.
On the day, Fryer went three-for-four and had three RBIs. Fryer played all out against the Bulldogs and everybody noticed.
“I’m so proud of her,” said Head Coach Crissy Buck. “She has really stepped into her own. She’s just acting like a junior and really calm up at-bat.”
Losing a game against the Bulldogs 3-2 earlier in the year, CSUB was determined to take this game and split the season series. The ‘Runners commanded a 3-2 lead going into the top of the seventh but fell behind when Bulldog’s center fielder, Michelle Solomon, hit a two-run blast.
“Honestly, when they hit that homerun I knew we were going to come back,” King said. “We had that energy. Kelsie (Monroe) came right back and got a quick two outs for us and we knew we were going to come back.”
CSUB was eager to reclaim its lead in the bottom of the seventh, evident by a leadoff single by junior left fielder Karissa Veiga. The ‘Runners followed up Veiga’s single with two more hits, the first being a triple by King. King pulverized the ball to right field, with the triple scoring Veiga on the play.
“Once Karissa got on, I knew we were going to win it,” King said.
King was right. The next batter, Fryer, earned her third hit of the game and the win for CSUB. Buck talked about the importance of the games against Fresno.
“We’re trying to recruit the same kids they are [recruiting] in the area, so I’m extremely excited about what our team showed today,” said Buck.
With the win, CSUB has captured five of the last six and is looking at making a splash in the Pacific Coast Conference.
“I think we’re in a hunt for the conference championship and they’re starting to smell it and that’s what you need to do as a team,” said Buck. “We played a tough schedule all along and it’s starting to pay off.”
“We knew that starting out we had a great team and it just took a little bit longer than we thought for it to click,” said King. Thankfully it happened right at the peak of our conference, so that’s what really matters for us.”
Bakersfield will play two double headers against conference opponent St. Mary’s College on Apr. 20 and Apr. 21. The first game each day is scheduled to start at noon, while the second games have a projected start time of 2:00 p.m.
