HAYWARD, Calif. – Dominican softball split its final series of the year with Holy Names dropping the first game 3-2 in 10 innings before claiming a 11-9 victory in the season finale at Chabot College Softball Field.
 
Lauren Lapinid led the Penguins from the plate going 4-for-10 on the day with two RBI and a run scored. Melissa Garcia broke out in the second game going 4-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored to help Dominican salvage the split.
 
Game one
The Hawks employed small ball strategy to manufacture runs in the first game beginning in the first inning as Olivia O'Neal was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt then moved to third on a passed ball. Cienna Chesier than brought O'Neal home on a deep sacrifice fly to left field for the 1-0 lead.
 
Dominican began the top of the second in a similar fashion as Peyton Mott walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Celeste Salas then stepped to the plate and singled on a hard hit ball that the pitcher was unable to handle allowing Mott to score.

Cassidy Simon doubled to left center to lead off the bottom of the third for Holy Names and moved to third on yet another sacrifice bunt. Simon then scored on a wild pitch to continue the seesaw scoring as the Hawks took a 2-1 lead into the fourth.
 
Dominican continued the cycle as Kama Kaleikini singled to left field and stole second to move into scoring position to lead off the inning. A walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Dominican with two outs and Lapinid stepping to the plate. Lapinid delivered a single up the middle to score Kaleikini, but Haighley Kissee struck out the next batter to limit the damage.
 
Each team had its chances to score over the ensuing five innings, but the pitchers took control of the game leaving many stranded in scoring position. The Hawks finally found the breakthrough in the bottom of the 10th as a sacrifice bunt moved the runner placed on second to third and Olivia Lee delivered the single through the left side of infield with two outs for the walkoff victory.
 
Game two
Where the first game was low scoring and reliant on small ball, the second game was a high scoring shootout between the rivals. Dominican struck first as M. Garcia and Lapinid both singled to left and Kaleikini walked to load the bases with no outs. Shelby Keltner then singled up the middle to score one. Lapinid got caught off the bag at third during the ensuing at bat for the first out of the inning, but Alicia Garcia doubled to right center to bring home Kaleikini for the 2-0 lead.
 
After O'Neal led off the bottom of the first with a single, Dominican's defense recorded a pair of outs as it looked to escape with the lead. Lyndsey Widner had other plans as she homered to left on a 1-2 count to tie the game up heading to the second.
 
The Hawks continued to build on its momentum in the second as O'Neal singled to right with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the second to plate another pair of runs with another run scoring on a fielder's choice on the next at bat. Widner once again came through with the clutch 2-out hit as she doubled to right center to push the Hawks' lead to 7-2 heading to the third.
 
Kaleikini doubled to center to lead off the third and Keltner singled to left center to bring her home to cut a run off the Penguins' deficit. Rosa Leguria kept the Hawks off the board over the next two frames and Dominican's offense began to hum in the fifth. M. Garcia led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch to get things started but she was thrown out at home on Lapinid's single up the middle. Lapinid scored from second off an error to get the Penguins back within three as singles by Helena Harris and Mott loaded the bases with two outs. Another error allowed Keltner to score from third and Salas entered as a pinch hitter and promptly singled to left to score two more to tie the game 7-7. Faith Erb drew a walk to load the bases back up and M. Garcia stepped back to the plate and redeemed her earlier out in the inning with a single to left to score two more runs and give her team the 9-7 lead.
 
Keltner entered to pitch in the bottom of the frame and left a runner stranded in scoring position before retiring the side in the sixth to retain the Dominican lead. Dominican loaded the bases again in the top of the seventh with one out and M. Garcia continued her offensive outburst with a single through the right side to score one with a fielder's choice allowing Jillian Lampa to score from third to push the Penguins advantage to four runs heading into the final frame. The insurance runs were needed as another Widner homer and a Simon RBI-single cut the lead to 11-9 before a pair of groundballs ended the threat leaving the tying run stranded at second.