TURLOCK, Calif. – The Sonoma State softball team earned split on the second day of the Tournament of Champions, defeating Northwest Nazarene 7-0 before falling to Hawaii Hilo 5-0 in the nightcap.
Charlie Johnson hurled a complete game shutout and
Cassidy Romano delivered a grand slam to lift the Seawolves for the win in the first game.
Sonoma State moved to 24-6 on the season with the results, their second straight split at the TOC this weekend.
Lauren Mirtoni got things going offensively in the second inning against Northwest Nazarene, ripping a trip to lead off the frame. Romano then laid down a squeeze bunt to get her home and give the Seawolves the early lead.
SSU added another in the third with
Anna Zoia-Buescher opening with a single and eventually moving to third on a single by
Jordyn Martinez.
Giana Hays followed with a bunt single to score Zoia-Buescher and make it 2-0 heading into the fourth.
Johnson meanwhile was in control, holding the Nighthawks scoreless inning after inning. The Seawolves recorded the big inning in the fifth which Romano capped off with a grand slam to make it a six-run game. Martinez singled, Hays reached on an error and Mirtoni singled to load the bases for Romano who then belted the big fly.
Reagan Hunt and
Rylee Nishimoto combined to add a seventh run in the bottom of the sixth, both recording singles and then pulling off a double steal. Johnson did the rest, finishing off her complete game shutout with a scoreless final inning. Johnson allowed just five hits while upping her consecutive innings without an earned run streak to 46 innings. Martinez led all players with three hits while Romano finished with five RBIs.
The nightcap did not go Sonoma State's way as Hawaii Hilo jumped out early on starter
Nichole Sarra and kept adding to their lead. The Vulcans scored one in the first, two in the third and two more in the fourth to run out to a 5-0 advantage. Johnson came on in relief in the fourth and hurled a perfect 2.2 innings but the Seawolves offense managed just three hits off Malia Risdall who went the distance for UHH.
Sonoma State close out the Tournament of Champions tomorrow with a game against Hawaii Pacific at 10:00 am.
