SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball fell 14-5 and 11-4 Monday afternoon in a doubleheader with Chaminade at Penguin Field.
Junior
Emily Ginn led the Penguins (8-20, 3-11 PacWest) going 2 for 4 with three RBI. Rainelle Matsuoka powered the Silverswords (7-16, 4-12 PacWest) with a 5 for 9 performance with six RBI.
Chaminade opened the scoring in the first game after Matsuoka doubled to left center to score Jackie Najera who had singled to lead off. Dominican answered in the second inning after a throwing error and a fielder's choice placed runners on second and third with one out. Ginn flew out to left center to bring home
Karitza Reyes and
Keely Bowlan singled up the middle to score
Alexis Chinchilla and give the Penguins the 2-1 lead.
Matsuoka again provided the answer for the SIlverswords with a 2-run home run to left field to retake a 3-2 lead.
McKenzie Schumacher reached on an error in the bottom of the frame and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. After she advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt,
Mady Christensen singled through the left side to bring her home to tie the game.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Chaminade broke the game open with 11 runs on seven hits and two errors in the top of the fifth. Najera and Matsuoka each doubled home two runs in the big inning to give the Silverswords a 14-3 lead.
Vanessa Porto doubled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and a fielding error on the next at bat brought her home.
Dahlen Dennis brought home Schumacher with a sacrifice fly, but the Penguins were unable to add the two runs needed to extend the game.
The Penguins struck first in the second game. Dennis was hit by a pitch and
Alexis Chinchilla singled up the middle and stole second to put runners on second and third for Ginn. Ginn dropped a ball into shallow right field to bring both runners home.
Haley Cheek singled in the next at bat and Porto and
Alyssa Ramirez followed with walks to bring home Ginn for the 3-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived as Najera and Matsuoka each doubled home a run and a third scored on a fielder's choice to knot the game at 3-3. Chaminade followed up in the fourth by scoring five runs on two hits and three errors in the top of the fourth to take an 8-3 lead.
Reyes singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and Dennis followed with a double to the right-center fence that brought her home to cut the deficit to four, but it would be the closest the Penguins could get. The Silverswords added three more runs in the top of the sixth to secure the final margin of victory.
Dominican will travel to Turlock, California, to participate in the Tournament of Champions beginning Friday. The will face Concordia University (Ore.) in its first game at 10 a.m. PDT before a 12:30 p.m. first pitch against Western Oregon at the Pedretti Sports Complex.
