Hayward, CALIF. -- Dominican University of California (18-25, 13-14) waited until the game's most dramatic moment to shatter Holy Names University's (11-31, 8-18) no-hit bid to take game one by a score of 2-1 before falling short by a score of 15-6 in game two. 

GAME ONE

A pitching duel for the ages took place in the Sunday series opener as Dominican senior Shelby Keltner (11-14, 1.96 ERA) outlasted the Hawks' Melody Gomez (3-4, 3.92 ERA) as the two starters both pitched complete games. Keltner finished the matchup with the win, striking out six while allowing just three hits through her seven innings of work. Gomez was charged with a pair of earned runs on four hits, all of which came in the final inning of play as the Holy Names pitcher had a no-hitter through the first 18 outs of the matchup. 

The lone Holy Names run came in the fourth inning, just one inning after its first hit of the game, when Giana Quintanar took her base courtesy of a leadoff walk. A pinch runner was put on first in place of Quintanar with the new runner advancing to second during the next at-bat on a fielders choice that saw the batter out at first. The next Hawks hitter struck out swining but Hannah Haynie sent a blooper into right field to bring the base runner home giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead. Gomez was cruising through six before coming out for her final inning of work and immediately giving a leadoff double to freshman Jayla Cadena. Sophomore Caitlyn Perales subbed in to pinch run, soon finding herself at home plate after a Marina Medina single brought her around the bases with a little bit of help from a throwing error by the left fielder. Senior Celeste Salas then notched an RBI single up the middle to give Dominican the lead and all it would need to take the game one win by a final score of 2-1. 

GAME TWO

The tale of game one was the exact opposite of the narrative from game two as the bats came alive for both sides as the two combatants combined for 21 runs on 24 hits. Sophomore Melissa Garcia and freshman Annabelle Burke both earned a pair of hits and single RBIs in addition to helpers from senior Faith Erb and Salas with Erb, Salas, Medina and Cadena also tallying hits. Freshman Taylor Rodriguez (2-9, 3.50 ERA) was charged with the loss. 

The runs came early and often for both sides as Melissa Garcia kicked the game off with a single to left field. Medina and Cadena followed suit to load the bases with just one out before Burke hit an infield RBI single to the shortstop to bring Melissa Garcia home. Erb earned a walk as the next batter to double the Dominican advantage before senior Kamaleinani Kaleikini reached on an infield error, also by the shortstop, that helped bring Burke and Cadena home while also forcing a pitching change for the Hawks. Holy Names earned a pair of runs back to cut the deficit in half in the bottom portion of the inning, then taking a 2-run lead into the third after Dominican gave up four runs on the heels of four hits and two errors. 

Twom ore runs were earned by Holy Names in the third inning as the Hawks offense tallied at least two runs in each of the first three innings to give them an 8-4 advantage. Melissa Garcia lessened the defecit to three with a single up the middle that scored Kaleikini to set the score to 8-5, then further slicing the disadvantage in the fifth inning when Salas singled up the middle to score the Penguins' final run of the game as Holy Names earned what will be the last-ever victory in the rivalry by a score of 15-6. 

Dominican now looks ahead to Friday when it plays the Academy of Art for its final two games of the regular sesaon.