BOX SCORES: GAME 1 | GAME 2

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California women's softball team played one of its best games on Monday afternoon despite losing both games of Monday's doubleheader at McInnis Park versus No. 6 Hawai'i Pacific University, 12-0 (5) and 3-2.

After having their last four doubleheaders postponed due to rain, the Dominican women looked eager to play early in game one. After junior pitcher Jessi Saaty retired the game's first three batters, the Lady Penguins (1-16/0-6) got freshman Crystal Albert thanks to an HPU (20-6/10-4) error. She moved to second on a Dominique Perry single to left center but both were stranded there. Third baseman Caira Pires smacked a deep homer to left field to begin the second inning and things unraveled for Dominican. HPU added four runs in the third and six more in the fourth. The defending National Champs added one more run in the fifth to close things out.

Playing as the visiting team in game two, Dominican looked like an entirely different team. Freshman Crystal Albert made things happen when she singled, then stole second. Junior Kellie Hislop moved Albert to third on a single to center. Hislop then stole second, which allowed Albert to score from third on the throw to second. Freshman catcher Dominique Perry drove Hislop home with a single through the left side. The inning finally came to an end when Perry tried to advance on a Robyn Ridpath groundout.

Junior pitcher Shawna Robb pitched well through the first three innings, striking out three while giving up just three hits and a pair of walks.

But HPU showed why they're nationally ranked. In the Sea Warriors' half of the fifth, Alyssa Aipa scored Pires from second with a single down the right field line to get the Sea Warriors on the board. Then, with runners on first and second, shortstop Celina Garces singled home Erin Fujita to tie things at 2-2.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the sixth. Saaty singled down the right field line for Dominican but her teammates couldn't push her across. Robb came back in to pitch the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second and quickly induced a fly out to shallow left field but walked the next batter, which set up a costly double steal. With runners now on second and third, Laine Shikuma's fly ball to left field was deep enough to score the winning run.

Perry finished her day 3-for-5 with an RBI. Fresman Kayleigh Klingberg went 2-for-4 with a walk. HIslop was 2-for-5 with a run.

The Lady Penguins will look to secure their first PacWest victory of the season on Tuesday when they make up the weekend's games against Hawai'i Hilo that were rained out. The doubleheader begins at 4:00 p.m. at McInnis Park. Wednesday's games against Chaminade University will also be at McInnis Park but have been pushed back to 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.