SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – To wrap up a span of eight games in four days, the Dominican University of California softball team earned a doubleheader sweep over Chaminade on Monday to resume PacWest action.
 
The Penguins improved their records to 18-20 overall and 15-7 in conference play. That moves Dominican up to No. 4 in the PacWest standings.
 
On the mound Monday, Katelyn Harden and Gaby Katafias put together a pair of masterful performances while limiting Chaminade to three hits in each of the contests. In the second win of the day, the Penguins totaled 13 hits with three apiece by Catlyn Cavender and Keely Bowlan.
 
Dominican will resume PacWest play on Friday with a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Azusa Pacific.
 
Game One: Penguins 4, Silverswords 1
 
Harden, a senior from Hughson, Calif., collected a career-high 15 strikeouts in a dominating performance. She allowed just three hits and one run. Monday's result marked Harden's fourth win in her last six outings.
 
The Dominican offense gave her run support early and often. Cavender started a two-out rally in the first inning with a single and then promptly stole second. Dahlen Dennis delivered an RBI double to put the Penguins on the board.
 
In the next inning, Alexis Chinchilla knocked a sacrifice fly to bring in Harden and that put Dominican ahead 2-0. The Penguins added two more scores in the sixth after McKenzie Schumacher and Alyssa Lanza started the inning with bunt singles. Cavender stretched the lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.
 
Although Chaminade scraped across a run in the top of the seventh, Harden was practically unhittable and wrapped up the 4-1 win.

Game Two: Penguins 10, Silverswords 2
 
Despite the Silverswords staking an early 1-0 lead, Dominican reversed the momentum in a hurry. The Penguins scored seven runs through the middle innings to take a 6-1 edge.
 
In the bottom of the third, Dominican took advantage of three Chaminade errors and put up two runs in the process. Cavender delivered the RBI hit of the rally, driving in Lanza with a single up the middle.
 
The Penguins showcased their power at the plate, getting a solo shot from Haley Cheek in the fourth and a two-run homer by Dennis in the fifth. It marked Cheek's first homerun of the season and the fourth for Dennis.
 
The fifth-inning rally continued with RBI singles by Cheek and a pinch-hit one for Taylor Munoz.
 
The hit parade continued for Dominican in the sixth inning, when Cavender struck for a homer and Karitza Reyes added a sacrifice fly. All nine of the lineup spots were able to reach base in the 10-2 victory.
 
Katafias allowed just three hits through her six innings pitched along with one earned run. She struck out three batters and earned her fifth win of the season. Combined with her outing on Sunday in Turlock, Katafias has given up just one run in the last 12 innings.