Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

TURLOCK, Calif. – The San Francisco State softball team opened its 2012 campaign on Saturday, posting a 1-2 record during the opening of the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational hosted by Cal State Stanislaus at Pedretti Park. 
 
The Gators got off on the right foot with a 4-1 triumph over Western Washington in the afternoon, but came up short in their two evening encounters, dropping a 7-3 decision to Cal State San Marcos, followed by a tough 5-4 defeat at the hands of Dominican.
 
Heather Jensen had five hits and two RBI for SF State in the three games, while Jenna Robertson (four hits) and Kylie Herrada knocked in a pair of runs as well.
 
Pitcher Marisa Ibarra (1-0) picked up the complete-game victory in game one against WWU, allowing just one run on six hits to go along with three strikeouts, while her Viking counterpart Jenna DeRosier absorbed the loss after surrendering all four runs on nine hits in five innings of work.
 
The Gators never trailed in the contest, plating their first run in the bottom of the second inning when pinch-runner Brittany Barcellos touched home on a fielder's choice by Kylie Grabowski.
 
SF State added two markers in the fourth when Robertson and Torrey Rook scored on a Herrada single to right center.  Rook reached with a lead-off single and later took third on Robertson's double to left center.
 
WWU tallied its lone score in the top of the fifth after Jessica Carey doubled home Cheyenne Best, but the Gators got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Jordan Brenner's RBI single brought in Jensen, who led off with a triple.
 
The Vikings put two runners aboard in the seventh, but Ibarra got out of the jam by inducing a pop-up and a ground out to abruptly end the threat.
 
Against CSUSM, SF State nursed a 3-2 lead into the top of the fifth when the Cougars exploded for five runs to stake a 7-3 advantage they would not surrender.  CSUSM took advantage of a Gator throwing error in the inning, while Olivia Lucatuorto supplied the big hit with a two-run double to right center.
 
Cougar pitcher Courtney Allen earned the victory in relief after entering in the fourth for starter Jessica Lamoureux, who surrendered three runs on four hits, including Jensen's two-run triple in the bottom of the second, which gave SF State a 3-1 lead.  Allen allowed just one hit over 2 1/3 innings before yielding to Katie Wilkinson in the seventh.
 
Gator reliever Ali Garcia  (0-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in 2.0 innings before giving way to Jordan Stanaland.
 
Game three against Dominican was marred by some sloppy play as the two sides combined for eight errors, including five by the Penguins.  However, Dominican erupted for four runs in the top of the first and added a single marker in the sixth to hold on for the victory.
 
Trailing 4-0, SF State narrowed the gap with three runs in its half of the first as Jensen scored on Barcellos' stolen base attempt, while Robertson delivered a two-run double to plate Summer Powell and Rook, who previously reached on a fielder's choice and Penguin error, respectively.
 
Dominican gave itself an important run in the sixth as Rachel Santiago's RBI single extended the lead to 5-3.  The Gators countered with a score in the bottom of the seventh when Lucy Fernandez knocked in pinch-runner Kelsey Murakami with a single up the middle.  However with two runners still aboard, Penguin pitcher Shawna Robb survived the threat after receiving a game-ending double play grounder.
 
Robb went the distance to collect the win, giving up all four runs (one earned) on nine hits, while Stanaland (0-1) took the loss after getting chased to start the second.  Gator reliever Becky Nakano pitched the rest of the way, allowing one run on seven hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. 
 
Jensen, Robertson and Fernandez finished with two hits each to lead the Purple and Gold, while Kellie Hislop (2 hits), Dominique Perry (2 hits) and Samatha Talavera (2 RBI) paced the Dominican offense.
 
SF State will wrap up play at the Best of the West Invite on Sunday when it tackles Humboldt State (12:15 p.m.) and host Cal State Stanislaus (2:45 p.m.).

WWU Box Score

CSUSM Box Score

DUC Box Score