SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball collected a pair of wins Sunday at Penguin Field defeating Stanislaus State 3-1 before a 1-0 victory over Menlo in the final day of the North Bay Challenge.
 
Taylor Rodriguez threw 6.2 innings of scoreless ball from the circle for the Penguins (4-3) on the day as she earned the victory in the first game with a save in the second. Alyssa Rue went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, an RBI and two runs scored in the first game. Tiare Guerrero went 3-for-3 with a stolen base in the second game and made several defensive gems for Dominican on the day.
 
Game one
Both teams exploded offensively in the second inning. Sarah Warden started off the Warriors (0-5) with a single up the middle and Sasha Martello doubled to left center to put a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. Former Penguin Faith Erb singled up the middle in the next at bat to give Stanislaus State the 1-0 lead. Rodriguez entered the game and got out of the jam in two pitches as she snagged a line drive back to the circle and threw over to third for the double play.
 
The burst of momentum carried over to the bottom of the frame as Rue led off the frame with a solo shot over the left field fence. Alicia Garcia singled to center and Caitlyn Perales laid down a perfect bunt on the first-base line to put a pair on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners over before Kama Kaleikini sent a high fly ball to center to allow Garcia to come home on the sacrifice fly for the 2-1 lead.
 
Rodriguez did not allow a single hit over her next two frames needing only 14 pitches in the process. Rue narrowly missed her second home run of the game as she led off the bottom of the fourth as the ball hit the top of the fence in center field for a stand up double. After she advanced on a fly out, Perales singled down the first base line again to bring her home for the 3-1 lead.
 
An error allowed the Warriors to load the bases and threaten in the top of the fifth, but the defense responded as Guerrero made two fantastic plays going to her right get the final two outs of the inning and preserve the lead. Stanislaus again looked to break through in the top of the sixth getting runners to second and third with one out, but Rodriguez got the next batter swinging and Kate Tobola made a beautiful over the shoulder catch in center to record the final out of the inning.
 
The Warriors made it interesting again in the top of the seventh but once again the defense cracked down when it mattered most to preserve the Dominican victory.
 
Game two
Shelby Keltner was dominant to start the second game as she pitched three innings of no-hit ball and striking out four to keep the Oaks (6-4) off the board. Garcia was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the third and she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Olivia Lee entered to pinch hit and delivered as she doubled to right center to bring home Garcia for the 1-0 lead.
 
Keltner got two more batters swinging in the top of the fourth after allowing her first hit of the game, before giving way for Rodriguez for the final three innings of work. Rodriguez did not allow a runner past first base until the top of the seventh. Lee made a fantastic diving grab to open the seventh, but Alexandra Attard and Jolena Valesquez each singled to get the tying run in scoring position. Rodriguez fielded a bouncing ball back to the circle to get the lead runner at third for the second out and Morgan Saucedo scooped up a grounder at short and threw to first to complete the shutout.
 
Dominican will return to its home field Saturday to face Simon Fraser in a doubleheader beginning at noon PST.