Box Score ATHERTON, Calif. – Dominican women's softball overcame a late deficit with a 7-run seventh inning to top Menlo College 14-12 in the season opener Friday morning at Wunderlich Field.
Alexis Chinchilla,
McKenzie Schumacher and
Karitza Reyes each tallied two hits on the day for the Penguins (1-0). Chinchilla added a team-high three RBI, while Reyes scored three runs and Schumacher tallied a double and triple.
Alyssa Waltman earned the victory from the circle pitching after holding the Oaks (0-1) to three runs in the final two innings.
Menlo got on the board first as Ariana Belarde had a lead off triple to deep right-center field and then came home on a passed ball. After back-to-back walks, senior pitcher
Lauren Persi entered the game in relief, but another passed ball allowed Makenna Weiler to score and increase the Oaks' advantage to 2-0 after one.
Schumacher tripled to lead off the top of the third and wake up the Penguins' bats. Schumacher came home on a double steal and
Mady Christensen stole second to cut the deficit to 2-1. After Reyes drew a walk, Christensen came home on a wild pitch and passed ball to tie the game with one out.
Peyton Mott and
Dahlen Dennis continued to stay patient, drawing back-to-back walks to load the bases for Chinchilla. Chinchilla hit a rope back to Menlo pitcher, Victoria Cervantez, which deflected off her ankle to bring home Reyes for the 3-2 lead. Persi then helped herself out driving in two on a single to right field to extend Dominican's lead to 5-2.
Menlo struck back, tying the game in the bottom of the fourth as Mia Thompson tripled and came home on a single from Belarde. Lauren Harrison added another two out single then moved to second on a steal to put the tying run in scoring position. Weiler doubled down the left field line bring them both home and tie the game 5-5 heading to the fifth.
Dominican stayed patient as Dennis, Chinchilla, and Persi drew three straight walks to load the bases in the top of the fifth.
Vanessa Porto followed suit, drawing Larissa Martinez's fourth walk of the inning to bring home Chinchilla and retake the 6-5 lead.
After an error put a runner on to begin the bottom of the frame, Malia Johnson and Thompson each doubled to left field to give the Oaks a 7-6 lead. Another error allowed Thompson to cross the plate and Belarde advanced to second on the throw home. Weiler and Valdez each drew walks to load the bases and Zimmerman grounded out to the shortstop to bring in Menlo's final run of the inning and extend the lead to 9-6.
In the top of the sixth, Reyes singled and three more walks from Martinez brought her home to cut the Penguin deficit to two. Juarez led off the Menlo side of the frame with a double and she came home on Johnson's sacrifice fly to retake the three run lead.
The Penguins would not be denied as Porto fought back after getting down in the count early to draw a lead-off walk. Schumacher doubled to right to put two runners in scoring position. Reyes drew another walk to load the bases with one outs, but Maddie Plazola was induced a pop-up to put Menlo an out from the victory. Dennis came through with a clutch single to left to bring home one run and Chinchilla laced a single to right field to bring home two more and tie the game 10-10. Waltman walked to keep the pressure on Plazola and
Haley Cheek singled to right to bring in Chinchilla and Dennis for the 2-run lead. Dominican was not finished as Porto, Schumacher and Christensen drew three straight walks to score two more for the 14-10 lead heading to the final frame.
The lead was enough for Waltman, who only allowed two baserunners in the frame. The second game was halted due to rain with the Penguins leading 2-0 in the bottom of the second. It will be resumed at a later date.
The Penguins will take the diamond again Sunday, Feb. 17, as they host Notre Dame de Namur on for a doubleheader beginning at noon PST. Dominican will be celebrating Alumni Appreciation Day at the ballpark, as well as Bark in the Park day. Live video and stats will be available online.
