San Rafael, California — Dominican University of California softball split its home-opening series with California State East Bay on Saturday, earning a 4-3 victory in extra innings of game one before dropping a 7-3 decision in game two.
GAME ONE
Junior
Shelby Keltner made quick work in the opening inning, going 1-2-3 with help from the defense behind her. Freshman
Melissa Garcia was the first to make contact, connecting for a single that dropped into left field, but she was left stranded as both teams searched for the scoreboard.
A pair of base runners threatened for the Pioneers in the second inning, but both would be left stranded after Keltner escaped the jam while leaving East Bay with two runners in scoring position. Dominican failed to find its footing in the bottom of the inning while the Pioneers experienced the same struggles in the top of the third, but the Penguins changed the narrative in their half of the inning when they put a pair of runs on the board.
Junior
Kamaleinani Kaleikini drew a leadoff walk before
Melissa Garcia notched a two-out single to put runners on the corners after Kaleikini advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Garcia stole second soon after, preceding a clutch
Peyton Mott triple that cleared the bases, putting Dominican up 2-0.
A leadoff triple in the top of the fourth set the tone for the Pioneers, also marking the first of three straight hits to start the inning. A sac fly brought in the second run of the inning to tie the game, but Keltner eventually escaped the inning after notching a strikeout and forcing a groundout.
Neither team found the scoreboard over the course of the next three innings, thus forcing extras in the home opening game of the season. The Pioneers scored in their half of the inning when a Sarah Fukushima single brought home Sydney Littles, giving the visitors a one run advantage. Dominican would soon avenge itself in the bottom half of the inning in dramatic fashion as sophomore
Faith Erb put herself on base to lead off the inning, also advancing freshman
Alicia Garcia to third. Erb then quickly took second base to place two runners in scoring position for
Melissa Garcia who singled to left field, scoring
Alicia Garcia while advancing Erb to third.
Mott loaded the bases after reaching on a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs, bringing junior
Lauren Lapinid to the plate. Lapinid wasted no time in finishing the game, smacking a single into left field that brought Erb home to give Dominican a 4-3 walk off victory in extra innings.
GAME TWO
East Bay found the scoreboard early and often in round two of the doubleheader, earning a 5-0 advantage after the opening two innings, forcing Dominican to swap pitchers as senrior Rose Leguria took the circle partway through the second inning. Leguria found her footing after her initial introduction into the game, tossing a scoreless third while setting up her team to cut into the Pioneer lead.
Dominican was able to capitalize on a two-out rally after freshman
Caitlyn Perales tripled to centerfield, scoring Mott who had earlier reached on a single. Junior
Bella Romani then rifled one up the middle to score Perales, tallying the last of two runs that came in the inning. An RBI triple put the Pioneers back up by four in the top of the fourth, with neither team being able to find the scoreboard until another RBI single cut the lead to three. A deep homer to centerfield in the top of the seventh put the score out of reach as Dominican fell 7-3 in game two of the doubleheader, splitting the afternoon with the Pioneers.
Romani finished the afternoon 3 of 6 with a pair of RBIs, while Mott posted went 2 of 6 with two RBIs and two runs. Kaleikini continued her hot start to the season, going 2 of 5 with a walk and one run.
