SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Freshman Alyssa Waltman pitched a complete game shutout and McKenzie Schumacher powered Dominican softball from the plate as they split a doubleheader Sunday with Simpson at Penguin Field. The Penguins (7-17) fell 12-4 in the first game, but rebounded to take the second 3-0.
 
Waltman (2-3) finished the day with 9.0 innings pitched between the two games including a complete game shutout in the second game with three strikeouts. Schumacher was 4 for 6 from the plate with two RBI, two stolen bases and her first career home run.
 
Kayla Bailey powered the Redhawks (11-11) from the plate, finishing 5 for 7 with four RBI and Sydney Moorhead (6-2) earned the victory in the first game with 4.1 innings pitched and eight strikeouts.
 
Simpson threatened early in the second game with two singles to put a runner in scoring position with one out, but Karitza Reyes caught a line drive and flipped the ball to shortstop Mady Christensen at second base for the inning-ending double play. Dominican seized on that momentum to put a rough first game behind them.
 
Vanessa Porto walked to lead off the bottom of the first and Schumacher laid down a bunt right in front of the plate for a single to put two on. After a sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position, Tayler Munoz hit a deep fly ball to left to score Porto for the 1-0 lead.
 
Waltman stranded a runner at third in the top of the second with three consecutive outs and the Penguins continued to apply pressure on Simpson. Christensen walked and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches. She came home after another wild pitch made its way behind the catcher and the Redhawk pitcher dropped a throw at the plate to give Dominican the 2-0 lead. Keely Bowlan followed with an RBI single to left to make it 3-0.
 
Waltman took over the game from the circle over the next four innings, stranding four base runners. However, Simpson loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh to put the pressure on the young freshman. Waltman rose to the challenge striking out the next two batters and Porto grabbed the final out of the game in right field to end the game. 
 
Bailey opened the scoring in the first game with a double to deep center field to give Simpson the 2-0 lead. Schumacher singled and stole second in the bottom of the frame, but Dominican was unable to get the crucial hit to bring her home.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Schumacher sent a line drive over the right-field fence to cut the lead in half. The Redhawks responded in the top of the fourth as four walks brought home Allison Harvey and Deja Acosta and Mazzie Davies singled to bring home three more for the 6-1 lead. Bailey then added two more RBI on her second double of the game and Simpson took an 8-1 lead into the fifth.
 
After the Redhawks added a run in the top of the fifth, Vanessa Porto led off the bottom of the frame with a curling double into the right-field corner and Reyes singled to left to put runners on the corners. Schumacher brought home Porto with a sacrifice fly to right center and Alyssa Ramirez singled to center to bring home Reyes to cut the lead to seven. Waltman then drew a bases-loaded walk for the final run of the inning to make it 10-4.
 
Gentry Hoffman turned on a 3-2 pitch in the top of the sixth for a two-run home run to give Simpson the 12-4 lead and Danielle Kranz held the Penguins off the board in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory.
 
Dominican will return to the diamond Tuesday at Notre Dame de Namur for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. PDT. Any possible rescheduling of the game due to inclement weather will be reported on DominicanAthletics.com.