San Rafael, CALIF. -- Dominican University of California (12-13, 9-5) took game two of Monday's doubleheader against Chaminade University of Hawaii (16-14, 9-11).
GAME ONE
A pair of early-inning home runs helped the Silverswords to its game one victory over the Penguins. Dominican only saw two hitters tally a stroke in the hit column in game one as sophomore
Alicia Garcia and senior
Kamaleinani Kaleikini both tallied hits in the game. Freshman Taylor Garcia gave was statted just one earned run in the loss, striking out three while allowing seven hits through four innings of work. Freshman
Mia Souza pitched three relief innings, allowing just one hit in her effort.
A fielding error by the Penguins put a runner on-base, an ill-timed blunder as the next batter took the ball deep over the left field fence for a 2-run homerun to put Chaminade up a pair early. Garcia's hit came as a one-out single to left field in the bottom of the second inning, preceding the Silverswords' second homerun of the game in the top of the third, this time a solo blast that increased the Dominican deficit to three. Kaleikini double was Dominican's only other point of offense in the opening game, a hit that landed in deep right center field before Dominican walked off the field with a 3-0 loss.
GAME TWO
Game two saw the Dominican offense rolling as the Penguins tallied seven runs on 13 hits to take the second game by a score of 7-3. Freshman
Annabelle Burke led in the RBI department knocking in a pair of runners while sophomore
Melissa Garcia, freshman
Marina Medina, senior
Lauren Lapinid,
Alicia Garcia and Kaleikini also tallying RBIs while Medina led the way with three hits. Senior
Shelby Keltner allowed three runs in her 3.1 innings of work while freshman
Jayla Cadena was awarded the win after giving up just one hit and no runs in her game two effort.
Despite the opening inning of game two mirroring that of the first game, Dominican battled back from the early 2-0 deficit, putting up a trio of runs in the second inning. Kaleikini's sacrifice fly brought Burke home to get the scoring started, followed by
Melissa Garcia sacrifice fly that brought sophomore
Caitlyn Perales around the bases.
Alicia Garcia then put the bow on the offensive outburst, sending a double to right field that brought freshman
Kate Tobola across home plate for the third and final run of the inning.
Burke was the recipient of some good fortune in the third inning, knocking in an RBI down the left field line on a check swing that brought enough power to send the ball into a playable position, bringing Abalos home and extending the Dominican lead to 4-2. The lead was cut in half an inning later, but the Penguin offense fired back with an RBI single off Lapinid's bat in the bottom of the firth inning as the Cadena-Medina duo put two runners on the bases to leadoff the inning. The duo came together for more offense in the bottom of the sixth inning after Garcia hit a 2-out triple to the fence in right field. Cadena then walked to load the bases before back-to-back singles from Medina and Lapinid made the score 7-3, enough to give Dominincan the game two win.
