BELMONT, Calif. – The Dominican University of California softball team swept a road doubleheader against Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday and moved up to fourth place in the PacWest standings.
 
The Penguins now hold marks of 8-14 overall and 7-5 in league play. NDNU falls to 5-9 overall and 5-7 in the PacWest. Dominican will return to San Rafael to start an eight-game homestand on Sunday. First pitch is at 12 p.m. against Holy Names.
 
Senior centerfielder Alyssa Lanza went 4-for-8 at the plate on Saturday to lead the Dominican offense. The Penguins' topped the Argonauts 2-0 in the first game and then 5-0 in the second contest.
 
The shutouts featured a pair of complete-game pitching performances. Senior Katelyn Harden tossed a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts while junior Gaby Katafias pitched a three-hitter to go along with a pair of punchouts.
 
Game 1: Penguins 2, Argonauts 0
 
The two squads remained scoreless through the first three innings and then in the fourth, Dominican got on the board. Dahlen Dennis opened the rally with a walk and later reached third on an Argonauts' error. Sophomore Alexis Chinchilla, an Oakley native, delivered the key RBI, placing a sacrifice fly into centerfield to bring in Dennis.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Penguins plated an insurance run. After reaching on a one-out single, Lanza eventually stole third and then scored on an error from the NDNU catcher.
 
Harden finished strong, retiring the final three Argonauts' hitters in order 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Game 2: Penguins 5, Argonauts 0
 
For the second-consecutive game, Dennis initiated the Dominican scoring. The Fremont native knocked a homerun in the top of the third. It marked the third homer of the year for Dennis.
 
Lanza continued her productive day offensively in the top of the fifth. She tripled to start the inning and then scored on a passed ball. Chinchilla extended Dominican's lead to 3-0 with two-out RBI single.
 
The Penguins added to their lead in the seventh inning as Catlyn Cavender and Chinchilla contributed RBI doubles. Chinchilla finished the game with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.