Port Coquitlam’s Alia Stachoski pitched a complete game to lead the Simon Fraser University Clan to a 5-3 victory over Notre Dame de Namur Sunday in Turlock, Calif.
It was the Clan’s only win against four losses at the Tournament of Champions.
SFU coach Mike Renney said a lineup depleted by injuries hurt the team but the experience at the annual tournament of top college softball teams hosted by the Stanislaus State Warriors will serve the freshmen who had to step in well.
“Having three of four freshmen in a game at times certainly resulted in some defensive lapses, but also creates a more battle tested group of reservers for down the road,” Renney said.
Stachoski scattered five hits and struck out six to earn her eighth win of the season. She gave up all three Notre Dame runs in the bottom of the third inning to erase a 3-0 Clan lead.
But Stachoski regained her groove, conceding only one more hit the rest of the way while her teammates put a run across in the top of the fifth inning and another in the top of the sixth.
The win was a bit of redemption for Stachoski, who had been tagged for a pair of losses earlier in the tournament. She gave up six hits and three runs in a 4-1 loss to Azusa Pacific in their opening game last Friday, and on Saturday she was charged with all five runs in a 5-4 loss to Dominican University.
That game, which started in the morning, was interrupted by a rain delay so long, Stachoski was able to relieve her reliever when play resumed in the evening, although the scoring quirk didn’t have a storybook finish.
SFU was trailing 3-2 when Stachoski gave way on the mount to Jessica Tate in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Clan responded by scoring twice in the top of the fifth to take a lead into the long rain delay.
After Tate gave up a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth, Stachoski came back into the game and promptly ended the threat by getting the Dominican U. batter to ground out to second base.
The Clan failed to pad their lead in the top of the seventh despite putting a pair of runners on base with two out. It cost them.
After retiring the first batter in the bottom of the inning, Stachoski surrendered a bunt single and another single to right field, both of whom eventually scored.
The Clan also lost 6-2 to Humbolt State as well as their final game of the tournament, 8-0 to Chico State University. A game against the host team was cancelled because of Saturday’s rain.
SFU will play a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheaders against the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks on Friday and Saturday in Nampa, ID. The next home appearance at Beedie Field on Burnaby Mountain is April 7, when they host a doubleheader against Saint Martin’s University.
