Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 March 10, 2018 Boxscore - Utah State | Boxscore - Valpo | Tournament Central
DAVIS, Calif. - Freshman lefty Brooke Yanez struck out a career-best 15 batters in her morning victory, while freshman outfielder Alyse Rojas hit a combined 6-for-8 as UC Davis split its Saturday games during the third day of the Aggie Invitational women's softball tournament at La Rue Field. The Aggies beat Utah State, 3-1, then fell in a 4-0 shutout to Valparaiso in the day's finale.
UC Davis moves to 13-9 for the year. Rojas hit 3-for-4 during each end of Saturday's doubleheader. Shortstop
Isabella Leon was the only other Aggie to collect at least one hit in each contest, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate against USU followed by a 1-for-4 game against Valpo. Yanez, who improves to 9-2 with her victory, struck out the first seven batters she faced, then later fanned the final four. The animal science student's total of 15 punchouts surpasses her previous best of 12, set against Oklahoma State on February 24. It also ties the best outing by any Big West pitcher in 2018, matching Long Beach State's Cielo Meza, who recorded 15 strikeouts against Iowa State on February 15. Furthermore, that strikeout total is the most by any Aggie and any Aggie freshman since
Justine Vela hit the same number against Santa Clara back on February 21, 2012.
GAME 1: UC DAVIS 3, UTAH STATE 1 Yanez allowed a Leah Molina single in the fourth inning, then a Joely Williamson solo homer for her only hits allowed in her 10th complete game of the season. She also surrendered only one walk against the 15 strikeouts to pace UC Davis to the 3-1 victory. UC Davis managed to put its leadoff hitter on the basepaths in five of six innings at the plate, and scored all three of its runs in the fifth. Left fielder
Marisa Given reached on an error to open that inning, then Leon singled to left. Senior third basemen
Ashley Lotoszynski immediately followed with a double down the left-field line. Given easily scored from second, while Leon came all the way around and slid in just ahead of catcher Brina Buttacavoli's tag. Lotoszynski later crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Alyse Rojas had singles in the first, third and sixth innings. She was stranded in scoring position twice, while forced out at third during her second trip onboard. After Williamson's solo shot to lead off the fifth for Utah State's only run, Yanez immediately struck out the side in the fifth, beginning a string of nine straight outs to close out the game.
GAME 2: VALPARAISO 4, UC DAVIS 0 Alyse Rojas tallied three straight hits, including a double to left to lead off the third inning, while Leon,
Maddie Rojas and Given each added safeties for UC Davis, but two-run rallies in the fifth and seventh led Valpo to the 4-0 shutout victory. Sophomore
Katie Kibby retired eight straight Crusaders until the bottom of the Valpo order broke up the scoreless tie in the fifth. Designated player Jasmine Ramirez rapped a single to left, then left fielder Gabby Magnifico launched a two-run home to left-center. Valpo plated two more in the ninth, thanks to a two-run, two-out single from catcher Jenna Stauffenberg. The Aggies managed to put at least one runner in scoring position in five of the first six innings, but ultimately stranded a total of nine runners. Their biggest threat came in the fifth, when
Alyse Rojas slashed a single beyond the reach of Crusader first baseman Brenna Boyle, then Leon's comebacker to starter Kenzie Grossman proved too hot to handle. Valparaiso called on reliever Emily Richardson to face Lotoszynski, whose infield popup fell out of the glove of shortstop Jaymee Lawton. However, Richardson sent down eight of the next nine Aggies she faced in her 2.2 frames of relief work, picking up her second save of the year. Stauffenberg, Ramirez and center fielder Taylor Lawson each finished with two hits for Valpo. Grossman and Richardson totaled eight strikeouts in their combined shutout. The five-day, five-team, 13-game Aggie Invitational continues on Sunday. Northern Colorado faces Valpo in the 12:30 opener, then UC Davis rematches Valpo at 3 p.m. Additionally, the resumption of Friday's suspended game with UNC was announced for 2 p.m. on Monday. The two teams locked up in a scoreless tie through five innings before darkness forced a stoppage. Both the Aggies and Bears were already scheduled to close out the tourney with a 3 p.m. contest on that Monday afternoon.
2018 AGGIE INVITATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, DAY 3 La Rue Field (Davis, Calif.)
UC Davis games only.
| Utah State (9-11) | 000 | 010 | 0 | - | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| UC Davis (13-8) | 000 | 030 | x | - | 3 | 9 | 0 |
Pitchers: Utah State - Kellie White and Brina Buttacavoli. UC Davis -
Brooke Yanez and
Riley Siegel.
Win-
Brooke Yanez (9-2) Loss-Kellie White (4-4) T-1:44 Att-NA
HR USU - Joely Williamson (2).
| Valparaiso (12-6) | 000 | 020 | 2 | - | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| UC Davis (13-9) | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 6 | 1 |
Pitchers: Valparaiso - Kenzie Grossman; Emily Richardson (5) and Jenna Stauffenberg. UC Davis -
Katie Kibby. and
Alexis Villalobos,
Riley Siegel.
Win-Kenzie Grossman (8-2) Save-Emily Richardson (2) Loss-
Katie Kibby (3-4) T-1:56 A-NA
HR VALPO - Magnifico, Gabby (2).
ABOUT UC DAVIS Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 6-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
LIVE AT LA RUE! Single-game tickets and tournament passes for UC Davis softball are now on sale by contacting the Athletics Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 or by visiting us online at UCDavisAggies.com.
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