THE BASICS:


GAME 1 RESULT: Loyola Marymount 11, Hartford 5
GAME 2 RESULT: Bakersfield 6, Hartford 3
LOCATION: Los Angeles, Calif.
RECORDS: LMU (7-10), Bakersfield (3-10), Hartford (2-11)

THE LEAD:
Hartford had a solid offensive day, but was edged by a pair of California schools in the opening day of the LMU/CSUN Tournament. Host Loyola Marymount took an 11-5 decision in game one and Bakersfield emerged victorious with a 6-3 triumph in a game that was shortened by darkness.

GAME 1: LMU 11, HARTFORD 5
Lexi Wilkerson went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, while Elizabeth Newkirk drove in two runs and scored twice in a losing effort for the Hawks. LMU plated seven in a decisive bottom of the third.
 
Alicia Brown went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in the win for the Lions, while Sabrina Tebou went 2-for-4 with four RBI as well. Rachael Farrington picked up the win, allowing seven hits in a complete game.
 
HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 1:
• LMU got on the board with a double steal to make it 1-0.
• The Hawks responded in the top of the second when Madison Hilimire drilled a double to left center to plate Jillian Fenton and tie the score at 1-1.
• Hartford pushed ahead in the top of the third with a double steal of its own that saw Newkirk flying home for a 2-1 lead.
• LMU delivered the pivotal inning with a pair of home runs as part of the seven-run frame for an 8-2 advantage.
• The Hawks came back with another response in the top of the fifth, beginning with a two-run double from Newkirk to cut it to 8-4.
• Danielle DeMarco plated Newkirk on a squeeze play to cut the lead to three.
• Tebou plated two in the bottom of the fourth on a double and one more on an RBI groundout in the fifth to conclude the scoring.
 
GAME 2: BAKERSFIELD 6, HARTFORD 3
Bakersfield scored three in the bottom of the fifth to break a tied ballgame, and saw the contest come to an end after the frame due to darkness.
 
Wilkerson hit a two-run homer, her third of the year, in the loss for the Hawks. DeMarco added a pair of hits as well for Hartford.
 
Chris Hipa went 2-for-2 with three RBI in the victory for Bakersfield, while Nadia Emezcua went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored as well.
 
Summer Evans was credited with the victory in going all five innings in the circle for the Roadrunners.
 
HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 2:
• The Hawks got the first run of the game in the top of the second when Bianca Ross singled home Hilimire, who had doubled earlier in the frame.
• Bakersfield countered in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer off the bat of Hipa to take a 2-1 lead.
• The Roadrunners added to their advantage with an unearned run in the bottom of the third.
• The Hawks tied it up in the top of the fifth when Wilkerson drilled a two-run homer with two outs.
• Bakersfield got three runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the fifth to earn the victory.
 
UP NEXT:
The Hawks head to the Northwest portion of the City of Angels on Saturday, taking on North Dakota (11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT) and Arizona (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT) on the campus of Cal State Northridge. Live stat links are available via HartfordHawks.com and updates will be provided on Twitter (@HartfordSB).