ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Dominican softball fell short of a doubleheader split falling 2-1 in the first game Wednesday afternoon before an 8-0 loss to Sonoma State to finish off the series at Seawolf Softball Field.
Freshman pitcher
Shelby Keltner along with sophomore pitchers
Rosa Leguria and
Kathryn Caravalho limited the Seawolves (13-8) to two runs in the first game, but it was not enough. Junior third baseman
Alyssa Ramirez went 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI in the first game and 1-for-1 in the second game for the Penguins (7-10).
Sonoma State rode the arms of its pitching staff as Raquel Chaidez (2-0) earned the victory in the first game with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief pitching. Camille Rodriguez earned the complete-game shutout in the second game while allowing two hits and walking three.
Game One
The Seawolves were able to get to Keltner early in the first game as Julie Davis drew a lead-off walk and came home on a single from Jordyn Martinez. Another single and a walk loaded the bases, but Keltner was able to get a pair of flyouts to end the first inning with minimal damage.
Shelby Cefalu singled to lead off the top of the second for Dominican, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch the base hit into a double.
Alyssa Waltman then walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position.
Mady Salonga reached on a fielding error by third base to put runners at the corners, but Cassidy Romano snagged a line drive for the final out of the inning to preserve the lead.
The Penguins threatened again in the top of the third as Ramirez walked and
Peyton Mott singled to left center with one out. Once again the Sonoma State defense came through with a double play on the next at bat to get out of the jam.
Nicole Renner and Martinez each singled and stole a base to put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third with one out, but Ramirez caught Martinez off the bag on a grounder down the third base line to record the second out. Keltner then caught Bella Chadwell swinging to keep it a one run game.
Porto singled on a line drive to left field to lead off the fifth and Schumacher and
Lauren Lapinid each reached on bunt singles to load the bases with no outs. Ramirez singled a bouncing line drive up the middle to bring in Porto for the tie, but Schumacher was called out on the throw home from center and Lapinid was thrown out at third on the play to blunt the momentum.
After a pair of singles put two runners on for the Seawolves, Ramirez was unable to beat Martinez to third base on a ground ball to load the bases with no outs. Amber Orchard then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Ramirez for the 2-1 lead. With runners on second and third with one out, Romano hit a sharp line drive back to Leguria in the circle who deflected it to Lapinid at short and the Penguins caught Alyssa Caballero in a pickle between home and third for the second out before a line out to Schumacher in centerfield ended the inning.
The Penguins were unable to adjust to Chaidez in the final two innings as the Seawolves held on for the victory.
Game Two
The Penguins struggled from the circle and defensively in the second game as SSU scored the first six runs of the game on one hit.
Mady Salonga was injured in the bottom of the second in a collision at the plate as Dominican tried to throw out the lead runner.
Giana Hays provided the highlight of the first few innings of the game for Seawolves as she sent a towering three-run home run out of left for the 6-0 lead. Dominican was unable to regain its footing and Martinez and Renner each singled home a run in the bottom of the fourth to seal the win.
Dominican will head to Southern California for its next 12 games beginning at Azusa Pacific on Tuesday at 4 p.m. PDT. Live stats and video will be available online.
