Karsyn Guzman put the Roadrunners on the board with two outs in the first on an RBI single down the left field line before the Redhawks left two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the frame.
Bakersfield increased their lead to 5-0 over the next two innings, driving home two runs apiece in the second and third.
After allowing all five runs in the first three innings, Mandie Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) settled in, not allowing a hit for four innings straight starting in the third inning.
The Roadrunners left runners on the corners in the seventh before the Redhawks put together their most significant offensive output of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Erika Rodgers (Glendora, Calif.) scored SU’s first run on a groundout before Rose Saenz (San Gabriel, Calif.) drove in Maddy Kristjanson (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) on a base hit to center field.
Lisa Maulden (Maple Valley, Wash.) followed with a single, advancing Saenz to second and Bubba Morrow (Auburn, Wash.) was hit by the pitch to load the bases, all with two outs. Jenny Hurst (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) came to the plate as the winning run, but Kelsie Monroe was able to secure her eighth strikeout of the contest to end the game.
Monroe picked up the win for Bakersfield allowing two runs on four hits while walking seven and striking out eight in the complete game outing. Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) took the loss for Seattle U allowing five runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three.
Following the contest, this year’s senior class – Hurst, Morrow, Maulden, and Sugita – was honored for their contributions to the Seattle U softball program.
Seattle U will be the No. 4 seed in the 2015 WAC Tournament (May 7-9), facing No. 5 Utah Valley in the first round on May 7 at 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT. The tournament will take place in Las Cruces, N.M. on the campus of New Mexico State University, who coincidentally also won the 2015 WAC Regular Season title. The full bracket is attached to this story.