TURLOCK, CA – Menlo Softball faced stiff competition on the first day of the Tournament of Champions hosted by Stanislaus State, falling to CSU Monterey Bay and Northwest Nazarene. Despite solid efforts, the Oaks were unable to break through, dropping the opener 2-3 and the second game 0-4, both in extra innings.
Game 1: CSU Monterey Bay 3, Menlo 2 (8 Innings)
Menlo battled in a tightly contested matchup against CSU Monterey Bay but ultimately fell in extra innings. It was back-and-forth the entire 7 innings with no runs from either side, forcing the game to go into extra innings. In the 8th, the Otters scored 2 runs which rallied the Oaks to respond. With Jolena Velasquez placed on 2nd base, Alexia Lozano started off right away with a single to 2nd base to score Velasquez. A sacrifice bunt from Lucy Brooks moved Lozano to third base with Emma Medina up to bat. Medina did her job and singled to right field to score Lozano and give Menlo hope. Two difficult defensive plays were made by the Otters to cut the Oaks short in the 8th inning.
Despite the tough loss, Menlo's offense showed promise, collecting seven hits, including a double from Emma Medina. Pitching looked great in the circle from Brianna Padilla who went for 7.1 innings and earned 8 strikeouts over the Otters while only allowing 2 runs. Shelby White would close out the game pitching 1.2 innings and striking one batter out.
Game 2: Northwest Nazarene 4, Menlo 0 (8 innings)
The second game of the day saw Menlo struggle to generate offense against Northwest Nazarene's dominant pitching. The score stayed even at 0 for all 7 innings, pushing the game into extra innings, where all the action happened. The Oaks were held to just three hits while the Nighthawks capitalized on a four-run eighth inning to seal the victory. Destanee Perez kept the game scoreless through seven innings, but a late offensive surge from NNU put the game out of reach.
Menlo's defense remained strong, highlighted by a diving catch from Aliya Lubrin in the fifth inning to prevent an extra-base hit. However, the Oaks' offensive struggles continued, as they failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Up Next….
Menlo will look to bounce back on day two of the tournament as they continue their slate of challenging matchups. On Saturday, February 15th, the Oaks are set to face off Simon Fraser at 1pm followed by Cal Poly Humboldt at 6pm.
