(Photo Courtesy of UC Davis Athletics)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Hard-luck and a three-run third inning were enough for Sacramento State to hand UC Davis, winners of this year’s Causeway Cup, a 5-0 loss in Tuesday afternoon’s series finale from Shea Stadium.
The Aggies, led by Chandler Wagner who finished 2-for-2, with a walk, will enter Saturday’s action at the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic with a 7-16 overall record; Sacramento State improves to 7-6 on the year.
With the victory, the Hornets prevented the Aggies from recording their first regular season sweep since the 2011 season. However, by shutting out Sacramento State a few weeks ago at La Rue Field, softball helped UC Davis officially capture its second Causeway Cup in as many seasons last month.
Competing in their first home game of the year, the Hornets hung three runs on the board in the bottom of the third to take a lead they never relinquished.
Were it not for a few plays that did not go the Aggies way, Tuesday’s Causeway contest could have ended in a different manner.
In the top of the first, Lauryn Saunders hit a bloop single to right that was took a friendly bounce into right fielder Paige Martin’s glove. Hit just pass the lip of the infield behind second base, the Aggies chose to hold their runner at third to load the bases instead of creating a play at the plate with two outs.
In the following inning, a potential scoring opportunity quickly disappeared when the first base umpire ruled that an Aggie runner left too early from first base. Rarely called unless the baserunner grossly mistimes the pitch–players are not allowed to take a lead, or steal a base until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand–a call that drew the ire from the Aggie faithful in attendance who felt the timing was too close to draw the call.
In the top of the fourth, with two outs and runners on first and third, Krista Bava drilled a shot that nearly hit Hornet starting pitcher Caitlin Brooks on the left side of her head. Through sheer reflex, Brooks raised her glove near her left ear in an attempt to protect her face from directly absorbing Bava’s line drive. Not only was Brooks successful in protecting her face, she was also able to end the inning as the ball landed directly in her glove even though her view of the ball was obstructed by her glove.
As the game progressed, head coach Karen Yoder chose to empty her bench to give as much playing time as possible to those who made the trip. Compared to her counterpart who, outside a pinch-running situation, stuck to her 10 starters, 16 UC Davis field players and four pitchers saw action at Sacramento State.
The Aggies’ schedule at the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic will commence Saturday with a 4:45 p.m. game vs. North Dakota State that preceded their 7 p.m. tilt against Portland State. UC Davis will conclude its stay in Stanford against the host Cardinal, the following day, at 12:15 p.m.
