BRISBANE, Calif. – Dominican softball dropped 4-3 and 5-1 contests to Academy of Art in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Mission Blue Field.
Shelby Keltner took a loss in the opener despite not giving up an earned run in the first game while striking out six. Kama Kaleikini went 2-for-2 in the opener with a double and two RBI.
Alicia Garcia finished the day 3-for-7 from the plate with two doubles and an RBI.
Game One
Keltner started strong not allowing a hit until the third inning but the Penguins were unable to get much going on the offensive end. Keltner sparked the offense in the top of the fourth with a leadoff double to left center. After
Melissa Garcia walked to put runners at the corners and then stole second, Kaleikini doubled to the wall in right center to bring home both runners for the 2-0 lead.
The Urban Knights fought back in the bottom of the fifth as a runner reached on an error before Bethany Mitchell doubled to left field to bring her home and cut their deficit in half. Another error put runners on the corners with one out and Lauren Henderson doubled up the middle to bring home two more unearned runs to take the 3-2 lead.
Bella Romani followed up a M. Garcia walk with double to left center to put a pair of runners in scoring position with one out as Dominican looked for the tie in the sixth inning. Jolene Rhoades got out of the jam as she retired the next two batters to preserve the lead. ART U would add a run to its lead in the bottom of the frame as once again an errant throw preserved the life of a runner allowing Alyssa Rasmussen to score on a sacrifice fly.
The Penguins mounted one last comeback as
Celeste Salas drew the walk and A. Garcia doubled down the left-field line to put the tying run in scoring position. Salas scored on a sacrifice fly but Rasmussen got the final batter looking to secure the victory for the Urban Knights.
Game Two
The Penguins struck first once again in the second game as
Lauren Lapinid singled up the middle and A. Garcia doubled down the right-field line to take the 1-0 lead. Henderson answered in the bottom of the frame with a double down the left-field line to bring home Haley Randall from second to knot the game 1-1.
Dominican once again found itself in prime scoring position in the top of the fourth with runners on second and third and one out, but Rhoades once again worked herself out of the jam with a pair of fly outs.
Mitchell and Randall singled with one out in the bottom of the fifth to spark the ART U offense with runners on the corners. Cassandra Mittman homered to left field to give Rhoades the run support she needed as the Urban Knights went on to win 5-1.
Dominican will begin play at the Tournament of Champions on Friday with a doubleheader against Western Oregon and Northwest Nazarene. First pitch for the game against the Wolves will be at 11:30 a.m. PDT while the Nighthawks and Penguins will face off at 7 p.m. in the nightcap.
