ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Dominican University of California softball team dropped a PacWest doubleheader to No. 10 Dixie State, 7-1 and 9-1 in six innings.
In game one, the Penguins spotted the Red Storm a 4-0 lead. Dominican got a run back in the third on
Tayler Munoz's RBI single up the middle. That drove home
Shannon Rodriguez, who reached base with her first career hit. Dominican also had runners on in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings but were unable to bring them home. Dixie State added a run in the fourth with back-to-back hits to start the inning and two runs on three hits in the fifth inning.
In five innings of work,
Ashlyn Moriarity surrendered seven earned runs on 11 hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
Angelina Lombardi pitched a scoreless sixth with a walk and a strikeout. Michelle Duncan tossed seven innings of one-run ball for the Red Storm and struck out six to lower her ERA to 1.02.
The Red Storm scored early and often in game two. Nicole Chaved gave Dixie State an early lead with a solo shot to left in the bottom of the first. The Red Storm opened up the game with a three-spot in the second that included an inside-the-park home run by the speedy Janssa Bassett. A run in the third and two more in the fourth made it a 7-0 game.
Katelyn Harden loaded the bases in the fifth but kept the Penguins from being run ruled by working out of the jam.
Kayla Rodriguez led off the top of the sixth with her second walk of the night and later scored on
Catlyn Cavender's RBI single to left field. With
Gaby Katafias in to pitch the sixth, Dixie State took advantage of two Dominican errors and scored twice to induce the run rule.
Harden allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits in five innings and saw her ERA jump from 1.00 to 2.88. Erin Feickert allowed one run over six innings in the win for the Red Storm.
Leslie Mesa had a pair of hits, both in game one.
Tori Johnson had a pair of hits, both in game two. Munoz had a hit in each game.
Dominican faces Dixie State again on Saturday, Feb. 28. Weather permitting, first pitch of the PacWest doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m. at Karl Brooks Field.