SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball made a dramatic comeback to secure a doubleheader sweep against University of Hawai'i at Hilo with a 5-2 victory in the first game and a walk-off 5-4 victory in the eighth inning of game two at Penguin Field.
Senior pitcher
Shelby Keltner bookended the day from the circle pitching four innings total with five strikeouts and the victory in game two to move to 6-8 on the year. In between she did a lot of damage from the plate for the Penguins (10-11, 7-3 PacWest) ending the day going 4-for-6 with a double and two RBI. Freshman infielder
Marina Medina was also on fire from the plate with a 4-for-6 day with a double and two RBI as well. Freshman pitcher
Jayla Cadena (3-1) earned the victory from the circle in the first game pitching four innings and striking out one while freshman
Mia Souza pitched 5.2 innings of relief in game two limiting the Vulcans (8-15, 5-9 PacWest) to a single run.
Game one
Keltner was dealing early in the first game striking out three of the first seven batters to keep the game scoreless. Dominican had three singles in the first two innings but were unable to get further than second base. The Vulcan's first got a runner into scoring position in the top of the third as they opened with a pair of single, but Keltner struck out the next batter with
Melissa Garcia securing a fly ball in center for the second out and keeping the runners pit with her throw to third. Freshman
Kate Tobola ended the inning as she snagged a line drive back to short to leave the runners stranded.
Cadena entered in relief to begin the fourth inning and got off to a rocky start as Chloe Domingo doubled to left and Dyoni Garcia singled to shallow center to put runners on the corners. Garcia stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but Cadena settled in quickly with the help of her defense. M. Garcia tracked a ball in center and once again made a good throw to hold the runners. Cadena then secured a popup for the second out before Garcia grabbed one more flyout to end the threat.
The momentum carried into the bottom of the frame as M. Garcia reached on a throwing error with
Alicia Garcia drawing a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Keltner laid down the sacrifice bunt to move them both into scoring position for Medina who laced a single into left field to score one and moved to second on the throw home. Sophomore outfielder
Caitlyn Perales then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt in front of home with A. Garcia sliding around the attempted tag for the 2-0 lead and Medina moving to third. Freshman infielder
Annabelle Burke sent a fly ball to left to bring in Medina on the sacrifice to give Dominican the 3-0 lead heading to the fifth.
Cadena was efficient in the top of the fifth needing 10 pitches to record three outs. Tobola singled through the left side on the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the fifth then stole second on the next pitch before beating a throw from the pitcher on a groundball back to the pitcher two pitches later putting runners on the corners. M. Garcia stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Keltner who sent a line drive into shallow right center to bring both home for the 5-0 lead.
The Vulcans were finally able to get to Cadena in the seventh loading the bases with Chloe Domingo bringing two home on a single through the left side with two outs, but Cadena collected a grounder back to the circle and calmly through to first for the final out of the game and the victory.
Game two
UHH got out to an early lead in game two as they loaded the bases in the top of the second before Rayna-Marie White and Jayda Favela laced back-to-back singles back up the middle to make it 3-0. Two more singles loaded up the bases and Souza entered the circle for the Penguins and secured the final two outs of the inning to leave the runners stranded.
Tobola reached safely on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the third inning and stole second to get a runner in scoring position for the Penguins. After advancing to third on a groundout, a ball got away from the Hilo catcher and she raced home to cut the lead to 3-1. The momentum was short lived as the Vulcans put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the fourth and Lexi Tilton flied out to left to regain the three-run advantage.
The next few innings went by quickly and quietly as UHH held onto the 4-1 lead until Keltner singled to left center to lead off the seventh inning. Medina then stepped to the plate and doubled on a looping ball just inside the right-field line to put runners on second and third with no outs. Burke singled to shallow right to bring home one run and advanced to second on a groundout to keep the pressure on the UHH pitching.
Lauren Lapinid came in to pinch hit and sent the first pitch she saw back up the middle to bring home both runners and tie the game. After Tobola singled to shallow right on the next at bat, moving to seond on the throw home it looked like Dominican may end the game right then and there, but Alexis Lacy got the fly out to end the threat and send the game to extras.
After a leadoff walk in the eighth, Keltner entered the circle and quickly caught the first batter looking on three pitches before sitting down the next two batters to send the game to the bottom of the frame. Dominican continued to feed on the momentum as A. Garcia singled through the right side and Keltner doubled to deep right field to put runners at second and third with no outs. Medina did her job as she sent a fly ball down the right-field line and A. Garcia slid into home in front of the throw to end the game in walk-off fashion for the Penguins.
Dominican will return home Saturday to finish the series with UHH in a doubleheader beginning at noon PDT.
