BELMONT, Calif. — The Dominican University of California softball team exploded for 22 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Notre Dame de Namur, 12-1 in six innings and 5-2.
With two on and two out in the top of the second,
Alyssa Lanza loaded the bases with a bunt single.
Tori Johnson reached on an error, which allowed
Shannon Rodriguez to score.
Catlyn Cavender took a four-pitch walk and
Katelyn Harden singled home another run for the early lead. Dominican scored three more in the fourth on a three-run homer from Cavender.
Cavender got things started again in the sixth with a two-out, four-pitch walk. She stole second and scored on a Harden single. With the bases loaded,
Dahlen Dennis singled in Harden, then
Karitza Reyes and
Sarah McKenzie drew back-to-back four-pitch walks to walk in two more. That chased starter Shelby Reali (4-17).
Alyssa Lanza and
Tori Johnson both singled before NDNU recorded a third out.
Ashlyn Moriarity (4-8) tossed four innings of two hit softball to pick up the win. Her only blemish came in the third, a leadoff homer to Gianna Gesler. Harden, in her first game back from injury since April 2, shut things down with two scoreless innings.
In game two, three hits from the first four batters, plus a wild pitch, resulted in a quick 2-0 lead in the first, though Dominican left the bases loaded. NDNU erased the deficit in the bottom half of the second but Dominican quickly grabbed the lead in the top of the second. Lanza and Johnson led the inning off with hits. Lanza scored on a Harden single and Johnson scored when
Shannon Rodriguez reached on an error. The Penguins added an unearned run in the fifth. Harden (3-6) earned the win and
Gaby Katafias earned her second save.
Cavender went 4-for-7 (.571/.667/1.143) on the day with the home run, three runs, four runs batted in, and two stolen bases. The home run moved her into a tie for first on Dominican's career home run list with 14 with Kayleigh Klingberg '14.
Lanza was 4-for-8 (.500) with three runs and an RBI. Rodriguez also batted .500 (3-for-6) with two runs and an RBI.
Dominican faces NDNU again on Sunday, April 24 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in San Rafael. Those games were previously scheduled for April 9 but were postponed due to inclement weather. Live stats will be available at
dominicanathletics.com/live.