SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball split its final non-conference doubleheader of the season losing 3-1 in extra innings to Cal Poly Humboldt before coming from behind to claim the 5-3 victory in the second game at Penguin Field.
 
Lauren Lapinid led the Penguins (15-27) going 3-for-5 from the plate with two RBI while Peyton Mott added a 2-for-5 performance with two RBI as well. Kathryn Caravalho earned the victory in the second game for Dominican after pitching 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to move to 6-8 on the season.
 
Game one
After a scoreless first inning, Mott singled to center and an errant thrown as she stole second allowed her to slide into third with two outs. Faith Erb then beat out the throw on an infield single to allow Mott to come home for the 1-0 lead.
 
After Lapinid led off the bottom of the third with a single and Alicia Garcia drew a walk, Shelby Keltner placed down a sacrifice bunt to advance both into scoring position. The Penguins looked primed to score another run but a base running error on a flyout left Garcia in a pickle between second and third and she was tagged sliding back into second to end the threat.
 
Izzy Starr doubled down the left-field line with one out in the top of the fourth to give the Jacks a prime scoring opportunity, but Keltner caught the next batter swinging and then secured a popup back to the circle to end the inning.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt finally broke through in the top of the sixth as Micaela Harris homered to right to tie the game. Caitlyn Perales singled through the right side and Mott was hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth, but Karen Di Dio got the next batter swinging and then fielded a groundball and threw to first for the final out of the inning for the Jacks.
 
After a scoreless seventh sent the game into extra innings, Kristen Ingram doubled to left center to score the runner placed on second and pinch runner Hollee Travao came home on a groundout to short to take the 3-1 lead. Dominican was unable to answer in the bottom of the frame as Di Dio held on for the victory.
 
Game two
Harris doubled to right to lead off the second game but she was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. A pair of walks put Cal Poly Humboldt back in scoring position but Rosa Leguria worked out of the jam to get the final two outs of the inning and leave both runners stranded in scoring position.
 
Mott walked and stole second to get the Penguins in scoring position in the bottom of the second but Emily McAdams struck out a pair of batters to get out of the jam. Harris singled and stole second with one out in the top of the third. After JoAna Mullins put down a bunt just inside the third-base line for a single, Harris showed no hesitation taking home for the 1-0 lead. Mullins then stole second before Starr singled to shallow center to bring her home and double the lead.
 
Harris homered to left center to lead off the top of the fifth to make it 3-0. After Leguria got the next batter swinging, Starr doubled into the same gap and stole third. Ramos made a catch in shallow right to hold Starr at third and Lapinid caught a pop up in foul territory for the final out of the inning to leave her stranded.
 
Ramos drew a walk with one out in the bottom of the frame before Erb and Melissa Garcia both singled to shallow left to load the bases as Dominican reached the heart of its order. Lapinid came through in the clutch as she sent a line drive just above a leaping second baseman's glove and into right center to score two and cut the deficit to one. A. Garcia was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again and Keltner reached on an error to bring home the tying run. Mott then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs and singled through the left side bringing in two more runs, but Keltner got caught off the bag on second for the final out of the inning.
 
With a runner on first, Harris singled in the top of the sixth and advanced to second on a throw to third to put the tying run in scoring position with two outs. Lapinid made sure they would not advance any further as she secured a pop fly to help Caravalho out of the jam. Katelyn Dendas doubled to left field with one out to give Cal Poly Humboldt one last chance in the top of the seventh. Caravalho knocked down a line drive back to the circle on the next at bat and threw over to first for the second out with Dendas reaching third safely. Lapinid then scooped up a groundball and threw to first for the final out to secure the victory.
 
Dominican will return to the diamond Saturday for Academic Day as it takes on rival Holy Names in a doubleheader beginning at noon PDT at Penguin Field.