Feb. 15, 2013

 Box Score | Box Score

 

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Memphis (1-5)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
North Dakota St. (2-4)	0	0	0	0	0	4	X	4	2	0

 

 

Hitting Leaders
	Hits	Runs	RBI
Laura Curtis	1	0	0
Lelani Bernardino	1	0	0
Hannah Harrell	1	0	0

 

 

Pitching Leaders
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AB	BF	NP
Sara Pearson	5.1	1	4	4	5	2	16	22	91

BATON ROUGE, La. - A four-run sixth inning was too much for the University of Memphis softball team (1-5) to overcome as they dropped a 4-0 decision to North Dakota State (2-4) in the first game of the LSU Purple & Gold Challenge.

Lelani Bernardino got the Tigers off to a good start with a leadoff walk in the first inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Morgan Mosby to move Bernardino to second, NDSU pitcher Whitney Johnson struck out two Tigers to get out of the inning.

In the top of the third, Bernardino recorded the first hit of the game with a one-out double to right center. However, Bernardino would be stranded for the second time in the game.

Sara Pearson was perfect in the circle for the Tigers through the first two innings until a throwing error allowed the Bison to put a runner on base with two outs in the third. Logan Moreland followed with a walk for the Bison but was thrown out stealing third by Amber Lindahl, which brought her career total to 30, tying a school record.

The Tigers threatened again in the fifth inning as Hannah Harrell laid down a bunt and then stole second to put herself in scoring position with one out. With two outs, Bernardino kept the Tigers alive with a walk, but a grounder to Johnson would end the inning for Memphis.

After another three-and-out for NDSU in the bottom of the fifth, Laura Curtis led off with a double down the left field line to get the Memphis offense going in the sixth. Curtis would be stranded as well as Johnson kept the Tigers off the board with two more strikeouts to bring her total to eight for the day.

The Bison put two runners on base for the first time in the game in the sixth as Katie Soukup and Moreland drew walks to lead off the inning for the Bison. A sac bunt from Presley Glaser moved the runners into scoring position before Cheyenne Garcia got the first hit of the day for NDSU with a single to left field to bring home Soukup for a 1-0 lead. A wild pitch gave NDSU a second run before a single plated Garcia for a 3-0 advantage. The Bison tacked on their fourth run of the inning with a one-out grounder to shortstop for a 4-0 NDSU lead after six.

The Tigers could not answer in the seventh inning, resulting in their fourth-straight loss. Pearson (1-1) took the loss for Memphis while Johnson (1-2) earned her first win of the season.

Memphis will face Virginia at 2:25 p.m. in its second game of the LSU Purple & Gold Challenge.

Game Notes
• Wheeler Hill made her first collegiate start in the game. Hill started at right field.
• Lelani Bernardino hit her first double of the season in the third inning. It is her 20th career double and moves her into a tie for seventh in school history with Leigh Rowan (2007-10).
• Amber Lindahl tied the school record for career runners caught stealing with 30. Lindahl threw out Katie Soukup trying to steal third to end the bottom 3rd on a ball four to Logan Moreland. Lindahl has now thrown out six of nine attempts this year (67%).
• Sara Pearson had the longest out of her career. She went 5.1 innings and allowed four runs on one hit with five walks and two strikeouts. Her previous long was 3.1 innings thrown twice with the last vs North Texas last week.
• Hannah Harrell had her first career stolen base in the fifth inning.
• Laura Curtis hit her third double of the season to lead off the sixth inning. It is the seventh of her career.
• Memphis falls to 0-3 all-time against North Dakota State and 1-5 against current members of the Summit League.