Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HAYWARD, Calif. — The Dominican University of California women's softball team earned a hard-fought 4-1 late-inning victory and then ran out of steam in an 11-2 six-inning loss at Cal State East Bay on Sunday afternoon.

In game one, the Lady Penguins (4-6) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when shortstop Kayla Rodriguez singled home double play partner Rachel Santiago. The lead held until the sixth inning, when the Pioneers (2-2) tied things up. Emily Montanez singled to left field, which allowed pinch runner Mandy Dale to cross home. Junior pitcher Karly Harris worked out of further trouble and stranded runners on the corners.

Kayla Rodriguez started a seventh inning rally with a bunt single, then advanced to second on an errant throw. She was tagged out at home when trying to score from second on a fielder's choice to short, which looked as though it would kill the threat just as quickly. Instead the Lady Penguins responded. Third baseman Leslie Mesa tripled to right field, which scored first baseman Kayleigh Klingberg, who reached on the fielder's choice, and catcher Dominique Perry, who drew a walk. Samantha Talavera added an RBI single to center to make it 4-1.

Freshman pitcher Ashlyn Moriarity entered the game in the seventh inning and after walking a pair got a crucial strikeout, followed by a groundout to end the game. Harris improved to 3-2 on the season while Moriarity notched her first career save.

In game two, Cal State East Bay scored in the bottom of the first after Dominican left a pair stranded in the top half of the inning, then added another in the second. Dominican kept things close thanks to stellar from Rodriguez, who fielded all three balls in play in the third and in the fourth turned a nice double play to Santiago. However, another error in the fifth led to a pair of runs the Pioneers.

Dominican threatened in the sixth and got back a pair of runs by taking advantage of Cal State East Bay mistakes. Rodriguez legged out a misplayed ball, then Klingberg reached on an error and advanced to second on a throw that bounced into the outfield. Perry was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mesa came through again with a sacrifice fly to right field, then Talavera added another RBI with a foul out to right field.

Things disintegrated in the sixth inning though. Harris, in to pitch for Moriarity, who left the game in the fifth, struggled in refief. The Pioneers recorded just one walk but seven walks and a hit batter led to a seven-run inning for the Pioneers.

Mesa finished the day 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and a run. Santiago finished 3-for-6 with a run. Rodriguez went 4-for-6 with a run and an RBI.

"We didn't give up when they came back in the first game. Even when things didn't go our way in the seventh we kept battling back and it paid off in the form of a win," said Head Coach Sarah Iwata. "In game two, we still didn't give up. We were down and scratched out a pair of runs. We'll keep on working and prepare for conference play."

The Lady Penguins are off until Saturday, Feb. 23 when they begin Pacific West Conference play. They'll head to St. George, Utah to play Dixie State College. The Red Storm, picked to finish second in a preseason coaches poll, boasts three players on the Preseason All-PacWest Softball Team, including Preseason Pitcher of the Year Mattie Snow.