IRVINE, Calif. — The Scheuber Era started Friday for the Stanislaus State softball program with a bang.
The Warriors, playing their first official games in nearly 700 days, started their 2022 season with a 2-0 record, winning both of their games on day one of the Concordia Kickoff Classic, beating Western Washington, 3-1, and Academy of Art, 15-0, at Great Park.
The wins are the first two of her career for Turlock native and new Stanislaus State head coach
Aja Scheuber. It also marked the first time the Warriors began a season 2-0 in nine years, since winning both of their opening games of their own Best of the West Invitational on Feb. 2, 2013.
Sidney Crippen-Lay led the offense with a 3-for-4 day that included two doubles, three RBIs, two walks and a run scored across two games. Stanislaus also got solid starts in the circle from both
Kyndra Marzorini (game one) and
Delaney Pamplin (game two).
vs. WESTERN WASHINGTON
Stanislaus State staked itself to an early 2-0 lead and added on in the fourth, then rode the arm of Marzorini to a 3-1 win over Western Washington of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Madison Flexser led off the bottom of the second with a single, and two batters later
Lauryn Serda tripled her home to make it 1-0. Serda would later come home on a fielding error to make it 2-0. Another RBI triple in the fourth from
Sarah Warden made it 3-0.
That was enough for Marzorini (1-0), who went 6 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run and only giving up four hits.
Avery Fitch came in to get the final out of the seventh and earn her first save of the season.
Western Washington did not have an extra-base hit in the game. Starting pitcher Joie Baker (0-1) struck out four in the complete game loss.
vs. ACADEMY OF ART
The Warriors' offense exploded in their evening game. Stanislaus State scored 15 runs in a 15-0 shutout, mercy rule win over Academy of Art.
It was the first time they scored double-digit runs in any game since also beating Academy of Art on Opening Day 2019, an 11-3 win on Feb. 1, 2019. It was the most runs they had scored in any game in nearly five years, since beating Cal State Dominguez Hills, 15-2, on Feb. 11, 2017.
Stan State put up seven runs in the first inning alone. A leadoff walk to
Katie Thornsberry started it all. She stole second and third base, then came home on an RBI groundout, making it 1-0. That was normal enough, but an error, a sacrifice bunt where everyone was safe, a double steal, and then five consecutive RBI-producing at-bats, and it was 7-0. Crippen-Lay and Flexser went back-to-back with RBI doubles,
Jalyssa Ledesma had an infield RBI single, and Warden hit her second triple of the day to bring home run No. 6.
Stanislaus State scored multiple runs in all four innings it went to the plate. It would finish with 11 hits in four innings, including five extra-base hits and five stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Pamplin (1-0) silenced the Urban Knights' bats. She earned a complete game victory with five shutout innings, striking out three and only allowing three singles and a walk.
COMING UP
Stanislaus State continues play at the Concordia Kickoff Classic Saturday with two more games. The Warriors take on Western Oregon at 11:45 a.m., then play Dominican at 7:15 p.m. Fans can find all live coverage links on WarriorAthletics.com.
