SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California softball team completed the season sweep of Notre Dame de Namur with a doubleheader sweep, 2-1 in 10 innings and 7-3. The victories also moved Dominican to above .500 in the PacWest at 15-13.
Game one was a true pitchers' duel. Shelby Reali (4-18) allowed only five hits for the Argonauts (10-31/8-23 PacWest) while Dominican's (18-29/15-13 PacWest) trio of
Ashlyn Moriarity,
Angelina Lombardi, and
Katelyn Harden combined to allow just four hits. Moriarity allowed one hit over five innings but settled for the no-decision. Lombardi struck out four in four innings and got the Penguins into extra innings. Harden faced just three batters but allowed a run in the 10th due to the runner placed on second as part of the international tiebreaker. NDNU used a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly to take the lead.
Tori Johnson was placed at second for the Penguins in the bottom half of the 10th and scored with one out after Harden's single went past the left fielder. With two outs,
Dahlen Dennis was intentionally walked to pitch to
Haley Cheek, who was 0-for-4 at that point. Cheek put the ball into play on the left side of the infield and the ball was misplayed, which allowed Harden to beat the throw home.
Kelsey Goodner started game two and also took a no-decision. She allowed one hit and one unearned run one in three innings of work.
Gaby Katafias (6-7) went the remaining four innings to pick up the victory, and even helped herself with her glove in the sixth when she speared a comebacker.
In game two,
Catlyn Cavender's fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth gave turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead and the Penguins would not relinquish the lead. The homer was the 15th of Cavender's career, making the junior Dominican's all-time career leader in the Division II era.
Five consecutive hits led to three more runs in the sixth and extended the Penguins' lead to 7-3. NDNU tied the game 1-1 in the third and went ahead briefly with two runs in the fourth.
Alyssa Lanza's bases-loaded fielder's choice gave Dominican a 1-0 lead in the second.
Dominican plays its third doubleheader in as many days when No. 23-ranked Azusa Pacific (34-10/21-5 PacWest) visits Penguin Field on Monday, April 25 at 12 and 2 p.m. The Penguins will look to play spoiler versus the Cougars, who are mere percentage points ahead of No. 19 California Baptist and Dixie State for first place. That is also Professor Day, where Dominican Softball will honor the professors who have helped the Penguins find success in the classroom. Live stats will be available at
dominicanathletics.com/live.
