SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball fell 1-0 and 8-2 Monday afternoon to Biola at Penguin Field.
Shelby Keltner was dealing in the first game pitching four innings without allowing a hit for the Penguins (3-12, 0-6 PacWest) but it was not enough as Paige Austin pitched a complete game one-hitter to move to 5-1 on the season for the Eagles (10-5, 5-1 PacWest).
Game One
The first game began as a pitching duel between Paige Austin and
Shelby Keltner.
Melissa Garcia got the lone hit against Austin on a line drive into shallow left in the bottom of the first with one out, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout left the runner stranded. Keltner returned the favor in the top of the second after hitting Abie Nowak with a pitch then retiring the next three batter in order highlighted by leaving the final batter of the inning looking at the final pitch on a strikeout.
Keltner did not allow another runner on the base paths in her four innings of work with
Peyton Mott getting aboard in the bottom of the fourth on a walk and then making her way to third on a groundout and a passed ball. Austin left her 60 feet from the plate as she struck out the final batter of the inning.
Dominican made a pitching change in the fifth and Brie Nowak took advantage with a double to center. Sicili Brittingham then doubled on a long fly ball to left center field, but Nowak was held at third on the play. A soft groundball to first allowed
Alicia Garcia to scoop it and throw home in time to get Nowak and a groundball to second ended the scoring threat with the score 0-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth.
Allie Beck singled to second to lead off the top of the sixth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. She eventually came home on a Brie Nowak sacrifice fly to take the 1-0 lead and Austin made sure it was enough over her last two frames.
Game Two
Keltner singled to left and Garcia laced a ball down the left field line in the bottom of the second to put two runners on for Dominican in the second game. Biola made a pitching change bringing in Raylene Roybal who got a foul out for the second out of the inning before catching the last batter swinging to keep the Penguins off the board.
Maddie Riley singled to left and stole second for the Eagles in the top of the third as Abie Nowak drove her home with a single to right for the first run of the game. Brie Nowak then brought her sister home from second with a single up the middle for the 2-0 lead.
Faith Erb singled through the left side to lead off the bottom of the third and then advanced to second on a groundout.
Melissa Garcia singled up the middle and Erb slid under the tag to beat the throw home and cut the lead in half for the Penguins. Biola quickly responded as Kaitlyn Hawkins doubled to lead off the fourth with Rilee Ruvalcaba and Maddie Riley singling to bring home two more runners and extend the lead to three.
Dominican would score only once more as Garcia singled through the left side and Keltner singled to right center to make it 6-2, but Biola added a run in both the sixth and the seventh to seal their victory.
Dominican will conclude its series with Biola Tuesday in a doubleheader beginning at noon PST at Penguin Field.
