Jesse Summers
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Despite two complete game efforts by sophomore and freshman pitchers Sierra Hyland and Lindsey Chalmers, the Cal Poly softball team lost 5-2 in both games against Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) on Thursday to open up the ShareSLO Mustang Classic.
After scoring three first-inning runs against Cal Poly, IUPUI went scoreless for five straight innings against Hyland, who struck out four.
The Jaguars were able to tack on a couple more runs in the top of the seventh behind a two-RBI double from senior catcher Eryn Dillon.
Cal Poly sophomore second baseman Ashley Tornio doubled to right-center in the bottom of the seventh and would later score on a throwing error, finally getting the Mustangs on the board. The rally would end there and those two runs would be the last that Cal Poly would score.
Tornio would go 2-for-3 on the game, the only Mustang with multiple hits.
The second game took a different route to the exact same outcome.
Facing Jaguars senior pitcher Emili Escamilla, Cal Poly would get on the board early in the first inning on Stephanie Heyward’s sacrifice fly to center field. IUPUI responded with two runs of its own over the next two innings.
On junior outfielder Betsy Colburn’s RBI single in the fifth inning, the Mustangs were able to tie it up late in the game. But IUPUI would respond in a huge way in the top of the seventh with a bases-clearing three-RBI double by sophomore utility player Taylor Chitwood. The Mustangs were shut down in their bottom half, resulting in their second consecutive loss.
Friday’s doubleheader featured matchups against Southern Utah and San Diego.
Cal Poly would again drop another close game, falling 3-2 against Southern Utah in the early matchup.
Chalmers gave up nine hits and three runs in a complete game effort but did not get enough run support to come away with the victory. In the bottom of the seventh, the Mustangs trailed 3-1 until Tornio scored off a sac fly by freshman shortstop Chelsea Convissar. However, they could not keep it going, settling the final score at 3-2.
In the late game against San Diego, Cal Poly looked to secure its first win of its own tournament against San Diego. The Mustangs sent out their ace, Hyland, who didn’t disappoint.
Hyland pitched a two-hit complete game shutout in a 1-0 victory, striking out 10 batters. She has now recorded double-digit strikeouts in five games this year.
Late game heroics by senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci once again won the game for the Mustangs in walk-off fashion. Ceccacci’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh plated freshman Nicole Coppinger for the game-winner in Coppinger’s first collegiate appearance.
Cal Poly (9-14) will continue the Mustang Classic Saturday against Sacramento State and Sunday against Bryant.
Both games are set to begin at 2:00 p.m.