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Dominican University of California Athletics

Katelyn Harden
Brandon Davis

Softball Brandon Davis

Penguins fire on all cylinders in sweep at ART U

Katelyn Harden strikes out Lexie Hernandez looking to end the third inning in game two.
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRISBANE, Calif. — Katelyn Harden did it all on Monday, as the freshman helped the Dominican University of California softball team keep hope of recording the first wining season in the Division II era alive with a sweep of Academy of Art University, 9-1 in six innings and 5-2, in Monday's Pacific West Conference doubleheader.

Harden went 4-for-7 with a run and two RBIs in two games at the plate and pitched four innings to earn the game two victory to improve to 3-4. She gave up one run and struck out four. After taking a comebacker off the knee, she gave way to Karly Harris, who was equally as effective. Harris entered with a 3-1 lead and struck out four en route to her first career save. The senior also made her first plate appearance since her sophomore season and drew a walk.

Dominican's pitchers were backed by a dozen hits in each game. That production started in game one with Harden, who singled home leadoff batter Rachel Ditta. ART U tied the game in the fourth but the Penguins responded with a crooked fifth inning. Harden connected with the first pitch for a single and Rachel Santiago followed with the fourth single of the inning, a two-run single to right center. Another run came home on a wild pitch and Santiago scored on a Kayla Rodriguez groundout.

Ditta drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the sixth and stole second. Tori Johnson was hit by a pitch and Harden singled to load the bases. Ditta would come around to score and Moriarity connected with the first pitch that she saw for an RBI single. Rodriguez topped things off with a screamer off the glove of diving first baseman Jasmine Dickenson for a two-run single.

Game one starter Ashlyn Moriarity (W 16-11) allowed one run in her 21st complete game of the season to lower her ERA to 2.72. She is now tied for fourth-most wins and fifth-best ERA in the PacWest.

Catlyn Cavender led off game two with a double and scored three batters later on a Mesa single to give Dominican another early lead. The Penguins added two more in the third with an RBI singles from Harden, who came around to score on a wild pitch.

Moriarity doubled to lead off the sixth inning — the Penguins' leadoff batter reached base safely five times in the game. Moriarity's pinch runner, Marisa Cordisco, beat a throw home to get in under the tag and Ditta singled up the middle to add another insurance run. The Penguins had a chance to add on in the seventh but left the bases loaded.

The Urban Knights got a run back on a Dickenson homer to left field in the third and another in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk from Harris.

ART U finishes the 2014 season with a 16-34 overall record and 13-19 PacWest mark. Dominican improves to 25-26 overall and moves back to the .500 mark in PacWest play at 15-15.

Monday's doubleheader sweep guarantees Dominican of the best record in the Bay Area, having posted a combined a 9-3 record against ART U, Holy Names, and Notre Dame de Namur. The Penguins hold a 4-0 mark against last-place Holy Names, which Dominican will face one more time on Saturday, May 3. That is also Senior Day — Harris, Kayleigh Klingberg, Dominique Perry, and Rachel Santiago will be honored in a pregame ceremony. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at College of Marin in Kentfield, Calif. Live stats will be available at dominicanathletics.com/live.
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