SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California softball team split its home opener versus Cal State East Bay on Saturday. Dominican dropped game one 9-3 and came back in game two to win 6-4.
Gaby Katafias (1-0) tossed four innings of three-hit softball en route to the win for the Penguins (1-3) in game two. She overcame a rocky first inning in which she surrendered a two-run double to Rose Marston and did not give up another until the fourth.
Kelsey Goodner pitched the final three innings.
Alexis Chinchilla led off the bottom of the second inning with a walk.
Sarah McKenzie pinch ran and scored three batters later on
Tori Johnson's single through the left side. That loaded the bases and
Katelyn Harden followed with a single up the middle that scored
Keely Bowlan and
Alyssa Lanza to give Dominican a 3-2 lead. Harden drove home another run in the fifth and the Penguins took advantage of a Pioneers (1-1) error that allowed Harden to reach second safely.
Haley Cheek singled her home.
Catlyn Cavender, who reached third on the Cheek base hit, was caught far off the bag at third but avoided a tag in a rundown and beat the throw home, which gave the Penguins a 6-2 lead. The insurance runs proved necessary. Goodner gave up two runs in the sixth but recorded back-to-back outs to leave the bases loaded. The Pioneers threatened again with a pair of baserunners in the seventh inning but Goodner struck out Annissa Gonzalez to end the game.
Cal State East Bay used three home runs and took advantage of six Dominican errors to win game one. In the top of the first inning, Courtney Leyba won a six-pitch battle with Harden (0-2) for the Pioneers' first home run. Ali Cerminara led off the top of the fourth with a home run to extend the lead to 2-0. A pair of Dominican errors proved costly and led to two more unearned runs and a 4-0 deficit. Marston led off the sixth inning with another home run. Cal State East Bay extended its lead to 9-0 in the seventh with four runs, three of which were unearned. Dominican avoided the shutout in the bottom of the seventh. Lanza, who singled to begin the inning, scored from third on a fielder's choice. Cavender doubled home Harden and scored on a wild pitch. Harden went four innings and was saddled with the loss.
Ashlyn Moriarity, who made her first appearance since season-ending Tommy John surgery late last season, worked three innings. Sierra Clark earned the win in game one for the Pioneers with six shutout innings.
The Penguins now head to Chico State, where they'll face the Wildcats on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
