Miller, Thomas Allow Four Combined Hits as No. 6 Toros Softball Sweeps CS Monterey Bay, 8-0 & 6-1
April 21, 2006

Complete Box Scores
Game 1           Game 2

Carson, CA – Senior Jackie Miller (Bremerton, CA/CS Stanislaus) and sophomore Amy Thomas (Barstow, CA/Barstow HS) nearly echoed teammate Kristine Minter’s (Chula Vista, CA/Hampton Univ.) no-hitter yesterday afternoon as the duo allowed a combined four hits against visiting Cal State Monterey Bay Otters Friday afternoon, leading the Toros to 8-0 and 6-1 wins in a key CCAA double header. With the wins, CSUDH improves to 35-6, 14-4 CCAA, and remains one game back of CCAA-leading Cal State Bakersfield, while CSUMB falls to 18-29, 4-18 CCAA.

The Toros started early in the opener, using a Cindy Perry-Brown (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) walk and RBI singles by Kate Groden (San Pedro, CA/SE Missouri Univ.) and Minter to take a 2-0 lead after one inning of play. That’s where the score remained until the 4th when CSUDH exploded for six runs to put CSUMB away.

In the frame, an Araceli Martinez (Downey, CA/Warren HS) triple led off the festivities, after which Elicia Velazquez (San Diego, CA/Palomar JC) singled her home for the inning’s first run. After a Groden sacrifice fly two batters later gave the Toros a 4-0 lead, a Jennifer Wilson (Orange, CA/CS Fullerton) walk loaded the bases for Minter, who scorched a booming double to center field, bringing home all three runners. On batter later, Velazquez’s second hit of the inning would result in her second RBI, giving the Toros an 8-0 cushion.

That would be more than enough for Toro starter Miller, who hurled a complete-game two-hitter for her 12th win of the year. Miller was outstanding, fanning eight against just one walk, while retiring the side in order in 3 of the 5 innings pitched. Minter led the way with two hits and four RBI, while Perry-Brown, who came into the contest with a 25-game hitting streak, saw her streak snapped in the win. The Otters’ Jessica Boyle would last just 3.2 innings, allowing eight runs in the loss (10-22), four of which were unearned.

In the nightcap, the Toros scored three runs in each of the first two innings to put CSUMB away early, the big blows coming on a Martinez 2RBI base knock in the 1st, and a Groden 2RBI base hit in the 2nd.

The Otters would garner their lone run of the afternoon in the 4th inning, loading the bases with none out, and scoring on a 463 double play off the bat of Stephanie Abeling.

CSUDH’s Thomas would cruise after that bump, retiring the final 10 batters of the game to improve to 10-4 on the season. The sophomore sensation fanned four batters against one walk and allowed no earned runs on the day. CSUMB starter Boyle didn’t fare much better as the game two starter, lasting just 1.1 innings and allowing five earned runs in the loss (10-23).

Perry-Brown and Martinez led the charge in game two as each connected for two hits, while Martinez and Groden paced the CSUDH run-producers with two RBIs apiece.

The Toros travel to Seaside on Monday afternoon to take on these same Otters, before the final home stand of the regular season next weekend, concluding with “Senior Day” on Saturday, April 29, as CSUDH salutes its eight seniors as a backdrop for its twin bill against national power and defending NCAA Far West Champs San Francisco State.