A combination of a lack of both hitting and clutch pitching was UC Davis‘ undoing this weekend, as it saw its opponent come back in four out of five games to hand the Aggies a 0-5 record over the weekend.
Thursday: Game 1 – Oregon State 5, UC Davis 4
The Aggies looked to have the Beavers right where they wanted them heading into the top of the seventh.
That was until a late rally by Oregon State allowed it to come out on top in the first game of a doubleheader, 5-4.
UC Davis got on the board first as junior Marissa Aruajo delivered an RBI single in the first inning. The Beavers came back, scoring three unearned runs in the second to take a 3-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, senior Julie Stauder hit a bases-loaded double to drive in three, giving the Aggies a 4-3 lead.
UC Davis held that advantage in the top of seventh, but Oregon State loaded the bases and senior Stephanie Ewing came through with a two-run single, scoring what proved to be the game-winning runs.
“We just let it slip through our hands,” said coach Karen Yoder. “I was impressed with our players. I think they played exceptionally well. We just let it slip through our hands.“
Thursday: Game 2 – Oregon State 7, UC Davis 2
UC Davis was again the first to score in the second game of the double dip when sophomore Alex Holmes doubled in freshman Kelly Harman.
The Beavers responded in the fifth with three runs, taking the 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, UC Davis came back to score once on a single by sophomore Jessica Gonzalez, bringing the Aggies to within one, 3-2.
It was all Oregon State from that point, as the Beavers tacked on four insurance runs in the top of the sixth to sweep the doubleheader.
Saturday: Game 1 – Cal Poly 4, UC Davis 1
The Aggies fell to the Mustangs in the first game of a doubleheader due to poor fielding and a lack of hitting. UC Davis committed two errors and could only muster four hits in a 4-1 loss.
Sophomore Anna Cahn began the game for Cal Poly with a run-scoring single.
The Aggies came back to even the game at 1-1 in the third when senior Jessica Hancock scored on a fielding error.
Hancock then pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning as the Aggies looked to steal Game 1 away from the Mustangs.
UC Davis could not manage another run in the contest, though, and junior Krysten Cary delivered the backbreaking three-run double in the sixth.
Hancock went 1-for-1 at the plate and only allowed one earned run in four innings in the circle.
Saturday: Game 2 – Cal Poly 3, UC Davis 2
Just as it had done in both games against Oregon State, UC Davis jumped out to an early lead but failed to close the game.
In the first inning, junior Erin Emde came through with an RBI-single. UC Davis tacked on another run on the play due to a Cal Poly fielding error.
In the fourth, Cal Poly threatened by loading the bases again with one out only to see Hancock pitch out of another tough situation.
The Mustangs would not be denied, however, as they scored one run in fifth, sixth and seventh to sweep both games of the twin bill.
Sunday – Cal Poly 7, UC Davis 2
Aware of the fact that Cal Poly had jumped to first in the Big West Conference with its two wins on Saturday, UC Davis looked to salvage the series with the Mustangs.
At the outset, it seemed as if the Aggies were going to do just that.
In the first inning, Stauder doubled and Harman belted a home run to left center field.
Cal Poly came back with two runs in the top of the second, both via bases-loaded walks.
Holmes came in to relieve Hancock at that point, striking out the first three batters she faced.
After that it was all Mustangs, as they scored twice in the fifth, once in the sixth and twice more in the seventh.
Holmes suffered the loss in relief as she pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four earned runs in the process.
The Aggies have two more conference series left on their schedule. Coach Yoder sees positives from UC Davis‘ weekend series as well as room for improvement.
“I think we did a great job coming out with a lot of energy,” Yoder said. “Defensively, we need to do our job better. We couldn’t convert outs for our pitching.“
“We are trying to stay positive and fight through this,” Hancock said. “I think we are just being tested. We are a fighting team and we will get through it.“
MAX ROSENBLUM can be reached at the sports@theaggie.org.