The Cal Poly softball team opened Big West Conference play looking to defend their title from last season and snap their recent seven-game losing streak. The Mustangs struggled in all facets of the game as the Highlanders from UC Riverside took game one of a Friday afternoon doubleheader with a commanding 10-0 victory at Bob Janssen Field.
Riverside (16-18, 1-0 Big West) pounded out 16 hits against the Mustangs, which tied the record for the most hits by an opponent in Cal Poly history. The Mustangs also surrendered 16 hits against Cal State Fullerton on May 3, 1998.
Starting pitcher Marissa Alvidrez and first-baseman Brittany Keeney each had three hits, while Ariel Shore, Taylor Thomas and Alexis Villamor added two hits for the Highlanders.
“In this conference, it’s the team that shows up to play. They battled — they came out swinging their sticks. They weren’t intimidated, nor should they be. They got it done. They really deserved to win,” Cal Poly head coach Jenny Condon said.
The Mustangs (11-16, 0-1 Big West) were only able to muster two hits off Alvidrez who pitched the entire seven innings and picked up her 11th win of the season. Krysten Cary and Stephanie Correia had the only hits for the Mustangs.
“You gotta tip your hat to her,” Cary said.
Riverside struck first in the top half of the second inning. Following a lead-off walk and sacrifice bunt, Villamor singled to center with one out to score Alexis Pickett from second base and give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead.
The Highlanders chased starting pitcher Anna Cahn and broke the game open with six runs in the top of the third inning. Thomas led off the inning with a double to center and Alvidrez drove Thomas home with an RBI single to right. Following another single, Alexis Pickett doubled to left-center field to drive in the third run for Riverside. After a sacrifice fly to left, Riverside tallied three more times with two singles and a walk with the bases loaded to make the score 7-0 after three innings.
“They came out and they were swinging their bats,” Cary said. “That’s just how the game works.”
Cahn pitched two plus innings and gave up five earned runs on seven hits while suffering her eighth setback on the campaign. Cahn was relieved with no outs in the third inning after the Highlanders connected on four-straight hits to begin the frame.
“It was just rough,” Cahn said. “I wasn’t hitting my spots. I was thinking too much and forcing the ball. I think I did that at the beginning of last conference too.”
Helen Pena relieved Cahn and pitched the final five innings. She gave up nine hits and five runs, but only one run was earned as the Mustangs committed four errors on the day.
The Highlanders added three more runs in the top of seventh for the final margin of victory. The big blow in the frame came off the bat of Keeney who tripled to right center and drove in two runs. All three runs in the inning were unearned as the Mustangs committed two errors in the frame.
“All year, we haven’t had consistency in the circle,” Condon said. “But (Cahn) has proven to be our go to pitcher, and she really struggled today.”
The Mustangs are looking for consistency as they continue into league play as they have now dropped their eighth consecutive game. Condon said the team needs more production throughout the lineup to help the Mustangs get back on track.
“Offensively, we haven’t had a lot of people that have stepped up and proven that the bat should be in their hands,” Condon said. “That’s where our biggest question mark is. Nobody has really settled in.”
Condon said she was concerned following the game, but still believes that the Mustangs can compete with any team in the country.
“There is always a concern when you lose 10-0,” Condon said. “I tell the kids every day, ‘We are capable — when we execute — of beating any team in the country.’ I absolutely believe that, we just have to execute.”
The Mustangs return to the diamond for the second game of the doubleheader at 2 p.m. and wrap up the series with the Highlanders on Saturday at noon.
–Brian De Los Santos contributed to this post