CATHEDRAL CITY – A two-run base hit from Tennessee left fielder Lillian Hammond during the top of the eighth inning broke a deadlock and propelled the No. 9 Volunteers to an 8-6 victory against the Cal Poly softball team at the Big League Dreams Sports Park during Saturday action the Oregon State-hosted Cathedral City Classic. The Mustangs complete their Saturday schedule against Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m.

 

Trailing the Volunteers (13-1), 6-4, entering the bottom of the seventh, Cal Poly (2-4) received a single from senior center fielder Jessica Rogers, a full-count walk from senior third baseman Cristen Lee and a fielding error from Tennessee reliever Cat Hosfeld on a bounding ball slapped by senior second baseman Stephanie Tam to load the bases. A groundout from junior first baseman Krysten Cary (above) scored Rogers and after senior shortstop Melissa Pura was intentionally walked, sophomore catcher Stephanie Correia produced a sacrifice fly to plate Lee and knot the scoreline at 6-6.

 

The Mustangs enjoyed one final chance to match Tennessee once again during the bottom half of the eighth, but Hosfeld struck out Cal Poly freshman left fielder Kendal Hennings, freshman right fielder Nora Sobczak and Rogers in succession to end the game.

 

A year after the Mustangs dropped an 8-0, five-inning decision to the Volunteers at the same venue, Tennessee struck the opening blow in the top of the first as center fielder Kelly Grieve singled to lead off the game before scoring on a groundout from first baseman Tiffany Huff.

 

Cal Poly’s riposte was swift. Tam singled with one out during the bottom half of the inning before Cary sent her team-leading third home run of the season off the glove of a chasing Grieve and over the center field fence for a 2-1 lead.

 

The Mustangs furthered their advantage during the second as starting sophomore lefthander Anna Cahn (2-2) produced a leadoff single before being relieved by senior pinch runner Jenna Maiden. A sacrifice attempt from Hennings went according to plan and Sobczak chopped a pitch up the middle to score Maiden for a 3-1 advantage.

 

Though the lead shifted, Cal Poly’s advantage remained under assault. Tennessee advanced runners to first and second with two outs in the third before Cahn struck out Huff to end the threat. An inning later, Volunteers third baseman Jessica Spigner recorded a leadoff single before scoring via catcher Jen Lipicki’s base hit into short right field.

 

Kickstarted by a one-out single from Grieve, Tennessee finally reclaimed its lead in the fifth. After Grieve stole second, left fielder Lillian Hammond singled in front of the plate before a batted ball from Huff was misplayed by Tam. The miscue allowed Grieve and Hammond to score and provide Tennessee a 4-3 lead.

 

Cal Poly responded during the bottom half of the sixth as a sacrifice fly from Cahn scored Cary to tie the game, 4-4. A two-run homer from Spigner during the top of the seventh then broke the deadlock and set the stage for Cal Poly’s final comeback.

 

Despite suffering the loss, Cahn struck out five Volunteers and tossed 74 percent of her 132 pitches for strikes.

 

Rogers and Cary each finished with two hits for Cal Poly.

 

Cal Poly opened the Cathedral City Classic with a 3-2 loss to No. 8 Oklahoma Friday evening.