The Thunderbirds opened up the University of San Diego Tournament with its first win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Southern Utah snagged two runs in the second inning and a third run in the fifth to earn the win. CSUB scored its only run in the fourth inning. Katie Greenberg was on the mound for the T-Birds.
“I thought we came out and played with energy and confidence. That was our biggest goal for the day,” head coach Tom Gray said. “Katie was lights out in the circle. I was also very happy with the way we answered back and scored after they scored in the fourth inning. That is what good teams do.”
Southern Utah fell to Kent State in its second game of the tournament, 5-3. Kent State held a 3-0 lead to enter the seventh inning before the T-Birds responded with a three-run seventh inning to tie the game. Kent State sealed the game in the eighth with two runs. Ashley Ostler was in the circle for SUU.
“Ashley was outstanding. She definitely pitched well enough to win. We need to clean up our defensive play and get her some run support,” Gray commented. “Still, I am proud of how hard we fought to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.”
Bouncing back in day two of the tournament, Southern Utah topped Kent State the second time around, 4-3. Kent State took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Thunderbirds tied up the game in the fourth. Kent State put up two more points in the fifth before SUU enjoyed a seventh inning rally to earn a 4-3 victory.
“Our team showed a lot of heart and we fought hard,” Gray commented. “I think our players really believe they are never out of a game.”
In their second game of day two at the tournament, the Thunderbirds dropped to Cal State Bakersfield, 2-1. CSUB held a 1-0 advantage entering the final inning before both teams tacked one run in the seventh to give Cal State Bakersfield the win.
“We had a number of great at bats in pressure situations,” Gray stated. “Moving forward we need to do a better job of executing offensively in the early innings.”
Day three of the tournament was a matchup with the tournament host, the University of San Diego. SUU would get things started quickly as Sara Park doubled down the left field line. She advanced to third on a Kelli Hales sacrifice bunt before USD retired two more Thunderbirds, stranding Park at third.
Greenburg started in the circle for SUU and made quick work of the Torreros in the bottom half of the first before a triple from USD threatened a run in the bottom of the second. Greenburg struck out the next two batters to keep the score at 0-0.
In the top of the fourth, Greenburg doubled to left center with one out to put herself in scoring position. Jordan Theurer hit a single to left field but Greenburg was thrown out at home to preserve the tie.
In the sixth inning, SUU would strand two on base in the top half of the inning and USD would break the 0-0 tie on a single down the left field line that would score one.
Taylor Dumas got things started in the top of the seventh with a single to right field before Ostler would move her to second on a sacrifice bunt. With one out and two on, Park hit a single to right field that would score Dumas to make it 1-1.
San Diego was able to get a runner on with a leadoff walk to start the bottom half of the inning. She eventually found her way to third after a sacrifice bunt and a groundout to third base. The game would end after she scored on a fielding error by SUU's shortstop, giving USD the win, 2-1.
Greenburg led the team at the USD tournament, hitting .400 in 15 at-bats. She had a 2-1 record in the circle in 20.2 innings pitched. She ended with nine strikeouts and five walks on the weekend. Park and Greenburg tied for most hits on the weekend with six apiece, while Park and Tanisha Anderson tied for the most RBI's at 2.
SUU heads back to California for the CSULB Tournament next weekend and will open that tournament against Cal-State Fullerton.
