SAN RAFAEL, Calif. –
Mady Salonga's first career home run earned Dominican softball a doubleheader split against Holy Names as they won 8-3 before dropping a 4-1 decision in the second game Saturday at Penguin Field.
Salonga went 1-for-3 in the first game with a 2-run game-winning home run while
Shelby Keltner earned the win after striking out five and allowing 2 earned runs in a complete game of work.
Faith Erb added a 2-for-5 performance from the plate with a pair of runs and a double.
Game one
Holy Names started the game with a bang as Olivia Lee turned on the third pitch she saw and put it over the right field fence for a solo shot. Keltner settled in quickly after that striking out the final three batters of the inning to keep the lead from growing further.
Kate Tobola and
Melissa Garcia each walked to lead off the bottom of the frame and advanced on a passed ball before
Marina Medina singled to shallow left to bring both runners in for the 2-1 lead.
After an uneventful second inning, a throwing error allowed Hannah Haynie to reach safely and Tiare Poueu-Guerrero singled on a hard hit ball to second base to put runners on the corners. Poueu-Guerrero drew a pickle and an errant throw to third allowed Haynie to score to tie the game. The Penguins allowed no further runs and the game remained tied over the next three frames.
Haynie once again started the Hawk offense in the fifth as she drew a walk before Lee tripled to right center to bring her home for the 3-2 lead. Tobola mad sure no more runs crossed as she grabbed a fly ball in center and throw on a line to
Celeste Salas behind the plate who applied the tag on Lee to complete the double play.
The Penguins came away empty yet again in the bottom of the fifth but Keltner retired the side in the top of the sixth to keep the one-run deficit. Keltner then drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the inning before Salonga stepped to the plate and sent a high fly ball over the left-field fence to take the 4-3 lead. The flood gates opened from there as
Jayla Cadena singled and
Helena Harris doubled to center field to put runners on second and third. After Erb walked to load the bases, a walk by Tobola brought one runner home. Medina then cleared the bases as she singled to center and the ball went under the glove of the center fielder to bring the Penguin lead to 8-3. It was the room Keltner needed as she allowed one hit in the top of the seventh before catching Lee looking for the final out of the game.
Game two
The second game began as a pitching duel as
Taylor Rodriguez and Kelsey Volkmar held the offenses scoreless through three complete innings. The Hawks took advantage of a pair of errors in the top of the fourth to bring home one run before loading the bases on a walk.
Jayla Cadena entered the game for Dominican and after a fielder's choice got one runner at home, she struck out the next two batters swinging to keep the lead at a single run.
Unfortunately for the Penguins, the Hawk infield made several great plays to keep them from advancing the bases.
Annabelle Burke eventually singled to right and advanced to second on a groundball, but, just when it looked like the Penguins would tie the game, Salas's line drive back up the middle hit Volkmar and bounced right to the second baseman for the final out of the inning. HNU would add three runs in the top of the seventh and Tobola's RBI single to score Erb was not enough to prolong the game.
Dominican will face the Hawks again Sunday in a doubleheader beginning at noon PDT at Chabot College Sotball Field in Hayward.
