Turlock, CALIF. -- Dominican University of California (14-15, 9-5) battled for a pair of dramatic victories against Stanislaus State (7-19, 4-15) and Chico State (13-14, 6-9) on day two of The Tournament of Champions. 

Game One vs. Stanislaus State

The Penguins earned a game one win in dramatic fashion with a single run in the top of the eighth inning that proved to be enough as Dominican earned the 1-0 victory over the Warriors. Sophomore Melissa Garcia led the way with a pair of hits in addition to four other batters that connected for hits to total six in the game. Senior superstar Shelby Keltner battled for an 8-inning, complete game earning a shutout in a 5-hit effort that also saw her strikeout 12 batters, the second most in a single game in Dominican history. 

A pair of runners were left stranded in the first inning with Melissa Garcia a freshman Marina Medina both connection for a pair of one-out singles. Freshman Kate Tobola was the net batter to find a base from the Penguins, this time in the third inning when she laid down a bunt that placed her on first base. Sophomores Alicia Garcia and Caitlyn Perales also added singles in the sixth and seventh but neither team was able to put runs on the board which meant they were destined for extra innings. Dominican immediately went to work in the extra frame as senior Celeste Salas singled to left center to bring home senior Lauren Lapinid and the eventual game one victory as Keltner retired the Warriors in the bottom of the inning. 

Game Two vs. Chico State

The drama didn't conclude at the end of the first game as Dominican used another late effort to push past the Wildcats by a score of 3-2. Dominican again used six hits to secure the victory with each hit coming courtesy of a different batter. Alicia Garcia, Perales and Salas all batted in runners while freshman Taylor Rodriguez pitched her first ever collegiate complete game with a seven inning effort that saw just six hits and two earned runs while striking out five batters. 

Dominican scored its first run of the game in the introductory inning as both Tobola and Melissa Garcia reached the bases to leadoff the game before both advancing on a passed ball two batters later. Keltner drew a walk to load the bases for Alicia Garcia who wasted no time in sending the ball to center field, scoring Dominican's first run of the day before leaving the inning with the bases loaded. The Penguins doubled their lead in the next inning, again putting the two leadoff batters on base to begin the frame. Tobola eventually converted on a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners before a Melissa Garcia out at first scored senior Faith Erb who darted home from third base. 

It wasn't until the bottom of the third that Dominican added its third and final run, this time coming via single to left off the bat of Perales to bring Kelter across the plate. Chico State threatened the lead in the top of the sixth by adding a pair of runs that sliced the Dominican advantage to just one, but this would be as close as they came as A. Garcia made a leaping grab of a line drive to stop the momentum and then M. Garcia made a diving grab in foul territory in the top of the seventh to leave the run stranded on base and give Dominican a 3-2 victory for its second win of the afternoon. 

Dominican now looks ahead to Sunday as it gets set to take on Montana State University, Billings before going head-to-head with Chaminade as a make up game from earlier this week when the rains caused a postponement in San Rafael.