The Canisius softball team opened the 2016 season with a pair of losses on the first day of the Titan Classic, hosted by Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif. The Golden Griffins dropped the first game of the day to defending Big Sky Conference champion Weber State 6-2 before falling in the nightcap to San Diego State by a score of 14-2 in five innings.
Canisius will play two games on Saturday on the second day of the Titan Classic, starting at 5 p.m. Eastern time when the team plays UTSA. Canisius will also face the host Cal State Fullerton Titans on Saturday, with first pitch in that game scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Eastern.
GAME 1 – Weber State 6, Canisius 2
The Weber State Wildcats scored three runs in the bottom of the second thanks to a pair of Canisius throwing errors, and then added another tally on the scoreboard in the home half of the third to jump out to a 4-0 lead on the Griffs.
Trailing 5-0 in the sixth, Canisius scored a pair of runs to cut the Wildcats' lead to 5-2. Sophomore Moriah Harris led off the frame with a base hit, and she later scored on an RBI-double by freshman Kaitlin Ishman. Ishman was able to advance to third on that play thanks to a Weber State throwing error, and she scored later in the inning on a sacrifice-fly from fellow freshman Denver Keller. In the bottom of the sixth, Weber State was able to push its cushion back to four runs on a solo homer from KyRae Kogianes.
Harris went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the loss for the Griffs, while Ishman finished her first collegiate game with double, a run scored and an RBI. Junior Jessica Berzins also had a hit for the Blue and Gold. Sophomore Erika Mackie took the loss in the circle after she allowed five runs, three earned, on nine hits while fanning one. Freshman Allie Block came on in relief and gave up a hit and a run to go with a strikeout and a walk in two innings of work.
GAME 2 – San Diego State 14, Canisius 2 – Five Innings
The San Diego State Aztecs scored 11 runs in the first three innings and finished the game with 14 runs on 14 hits en route to a 14-6 victory over the Griffs in five innings. Canisius trailed 4-0 after the top-half of the first, but the Blue and Gold got on the board in their half of the first frame when Berzins, who started off the inning with a double down the left-field line, scored on a passed ball.
San Diego State scored four more runs in the top of the second, before Canisius answered with another run in the bottom of that frame. Senior Meghan Cuda hit a one-out triple to the gap in right center, and scored moments later on an RBI-bunt single by freshman Madison Aston. That would be Canisius' last run of the game however, as the Aztecs tied a school record for most runs in a season-opener with 14.
Sophomore Madi Weathers started the second game for the Griffs and took the loss after she allowed eight runs on eight hits in two innings in the circle. Freshman pitcher Lauren Castro made her first collegiate appearance in the loss and gave up six runs on eight hits while walking five and fanning two.
GAME NOTES:
Canisius opened the season in the state of California for the first time in school history… This is the 37th season of Canisius softball… Both Weber State is the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky Conference title, while San Diego State was picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference preseason softball poll… The triple for Cuda in the San Diego State game is the 12th in her career, which ties her for ninth all-time in school history… A total of six different Canisius players made their collegiate debuts on Friday.
