AZUSA, Calif. – Dominican softball split its second day of doubleheaders with Azusa Pacific winning game one 2-1 and dropping the second by the same score at Cougar Softball Complex.
Marina Medina led the offense going 3-for-6 with a double and two RBI for the Penguins (16-19, 11-8 PacWest), while
Kate Tobola added a pair of singles to go with two stolen bases.
Shelby Keltner earned the victory in the first game and the loss in the second allowing one earned run in 6.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts.
Game One
Tobola walked and stole second to lead off the first game and
Marina Medina also drew a walk, but Katie Korstrom worked her way out of the inning with a strike out and a pair of fly outs for the Cougars. Carley Gay tripled to left in the bottom of the first and came home on a sacrifice fly to give APU the 1-0 lead after one.
Taylor Rodriguez found a groove and retired the side in the second inning including a strikeout, but the Penguins were unable to get a runner past first base in either of their next two offensive opportunities. The Cougars best chance to add to their lead came in the bottom of the fourth as Korstrom singled up the middle and Mia Alvarez followed with a single through the left side to put runners on first and second with 1 out. A walk eventually loaded the bases with two outs but Rodriguez held strong and got a pop up that Medina was able to track into foul territory for the final out of the inning and leave the runners stranded.
The escape gave Dominican the boost it needed as Tobola singled to third base to begin an offensive burst.
Melissa Garcia followed up with a single to left to put runners on the corners and Medina singled through the left side to bring home Tobola for the 1-1 tie. Korstrom was able to limit the damage as back-to-back groundouts to the left side of the infield retired the lead runners to end the frame. Rodriguez gave way to Keltner in relief with a pair of runners on and one out and a bunt single back to the circle loaded the bases quickly. Keltner's experience showed through as she collected another hit back to her and retired the runner at home before striking out Alvarez swinging to keep the game tied heading to the sixth.
Korstrom hit
Alicia Garcia with a pitch and then walked
Faith Erb before a wild pitch put both into scoring position with two outs. Korstrom regained her composure with some help from her defense as a groundout to short ended the threat. The Cougars had a pair of singles in the bottom of the sixth to put runners on first and second with two outs and Hannah Tipton attempted to reach home on a fielding error, but Erb recovered in time and made a great throw home to
Mady Salonga who applied the tag to keep the game tied 1-1.
The game went to extras after a scoreless seventh and the Penguins looked to take advantage as Rodriguez walked and Kama Kaleikini singled to center to put two runners on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt advanced both into scoring position but Korstrom was able to keep the next ball on the ground to keep the runners put and a foul out to right ended the frame. After Keltner took care of business in the bottom of the eighth, M. Garcia singled to left and advanced on a wild pitch to get into scoring position with two outs in the top of the ninth. Keltner and Rodriguez drew walks to load the bases for Kaleikini who also stayed patient and drew a walk to bring in the go-ahead run for the 2-1 lead.
Kinsey Erickson singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth and an error put another runner on with no outs for Keltner. Medina made a fantastic play to catch the attempted sacrifice bunt that popped into the air and Keltner then struck out Korstrom before Alvarez flied out to center to end the game for the Penguins victory.
Game two
Dominican got out in front early in the second game as Tobola singled to right and immediately stole second to move into scoring position. M. Garcia moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt and Medina brought her home on a sacrifice fly to take the 1-0 lead.
Jayla Cadena left a pair of runners stranded in the bottom of the frame to preserve the lead, but Jaelah Burrell doubled to center to Julia Olivares singled down the right-field line in the bottom of the second to tie the game 1-1.
Cadena and Liz Phillips held the offenses in check over the next two innings, but Medina led off the top of the fourth with a double and moved to third on a grounder to get within 60-feet of the lead with 1 out. Phillips got a strike out swinging to end the threat of a sacrifice fly and a pop up to second ended the frame. Cadena singled to lead off the top of the fifth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but once again Phillips worked out of the jam to preserve a tie.
Korstrom tripled down the right-field line to lead off the bottom of the sixth and came home on a sacrifice fly to give APU the 2-1 lead and Phillips retired the side in the top of the seventh to earn the victory.
Dominican will return to action Monday to take on Concordia University Irvine at 3 p.m. at Eagles Field.
