Thursday, May. 08, 2008

Gaumnitz on again in 4-0 Warrior win

Jessica Gaumnitz fired a two-hitter Wednesday as Cal State Stanislaus beat Seattle University 4-0 in its opening game of the NCAA Division II West Region Softball Championships in Arcata.

Gaumnitz (18-7) struck out three and walked none for the second-seeded Warriors, who swept through the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament in three games last week behind Gaumnitz, the tourney MVP.

With its 18th consecutive road win, Stanislaus (31-21) advanced to today's 2 p.m. game against Western Oregon. No. 7 seed Seattle (37-13) will face Cal State Monterey Bay at 9 a.m. in an elimination game.

"Everything really came together again for us," Stanislaus coach Jan Schefkowitz said. "(Gaumnitz) pitched another great game, and the defense was outstanding. We also had some timely hitting."

The Warriors scored what turned out to be the only run Gaumnitz would need when Sarah Shamblin came home on Jennifer Arnold's groundout in the third inning. Shamblin singled to start the inning, moved up on a sacrifice bunt and to third on Meghan Franksen's single.

Kimiko Wright doubled and scored on another single by Franksen in the fifth, and Jessica Scholl's two-run homer in the sixth provided a comfortable lead for Gaumnitz, who ran her scoreless innings streak to 16.

"The defense was really great," said Gaumnitz, who outdueled Erin Martin, an NFCA All-Region selection.

Martin (24-5) went six innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out two and walking one.

Schefkowitz credited Scholl for throwing out pinch runner Cassie Cueto in the second.

"Jess throwing out the runner took away one of their strengths, and they stopped running after that," Schefkowitz said.