No. 12 Toros Softball Takes Two on Day Two of “Mountain Dew Classic”
CSUDH rebounds past Western New Mexico, 4-1, before blanking Cal State Bakersfield, 3-0
April 23, 2005

Bakersfield, CA --- Junior Jackie Miller (Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS/CS Stanislaus) led the Toros to a 4-1 win over Western New Mexico in game one before freshman Amy Thomas (Barstow, CA/Barstow HS) followed suit by blanking host Cal State Bakersfield, 3-0, in game two as CSUDH rebounded to win both contests on day two of the “Mountain Dew Classic,” hosted by Cal State Bakersfield. With the wins, the Toros improve to 40-8 on the year.

Junior Kate Groden (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/SE Missouri Univ.) got the Toros off early in the opener against WMNU, scoring Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) on a sacrifice fly for a quick 1-0 lead. CSUDH would add two more runs two innings later as a Crystal Dingman (Sunland, CA/Verdugo HS/College of the Canyons) single and Miller double would plate one run each, giving the Toros a comfortable 3-0 edge.

That would be plenty for Miller, who retired the first nine Mustangs she faced and fanned nine overall. The Washington native would be in control all day, allowing just two hits and one unearned run to pick up her 15th win on the year (15-3). Dingman led all batters with three hits and an RBI, followed by Pebbel Prestwood’s (Hesperia, CA/Sultana HS/CS Stanislaus) two hits and one RBI.

The nightcap saw a pitcher’s exhibition put on by both Thomas and CSUB’s Christie Hill. Neither would give ground until the Toros broke through for all three runs in the bottom of the 6th. In that frame, Thomas helped herself by singling home Natalie Greco (Downey, CA/Warren HS), who doubled to begin the inning. Perry would single home pinch-runner Taneisha Antoine (Los Angeles, CA/Dorsey HS) three batters later, and Groden would end her day the way she began it, driving an RBI single to right center to score Jennifer Funk (Long Beach, CA/St. Joseph HS/San Diego State), who singled following Thomas’ base-knock.

That was more than enough for Thomas, who scatted six hits to pick up her 5th win (5-0). The true freshman retired the side in order twice, and faced just four batters in four other innings. CSUB failed to get a runner past first base until the 6th, and had only one batter reach 3rd base all afternoon.

The Toros conclude the “Mountain Dew Classic” on Sunday at 9:00 a.m., against the winner of tonight’s UC San Diego/Grand Canyon match-up, as part of a unique single elimination bracket in which the match-ups are based on the most current NCAA West Region rankings.