CARSON, Calif. – Dominican softball split its Saturday doubleheader winning the first game 5-4 over Cal State Dominguez Hills before dropping a 3-2 decision in the eighth inning of the second game.
 
Alicia Garcia delivered a 3-run home run in the first game while Alyssa Rue went 4-for-7 on the day with two runs scored and a double for the Penguins (1-2). Shelby Keltner earned the victory in the first game throwing 4.2 innings in relief while striking out two.
 
Game one
Dominican got the offense rolling early as Morgan Saucedo singled to shallow right while Alyssa Rue and Mariah Hopkins each reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. CSUDH was able to get the next batter swinging but Caitlyn Perales singled on a sharp line drive back to the pitcher bringing in a run for the 1-0 lead. Alexis Aguado led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left center and Jay Ross tripled to left field on a ball lost in the sun to bring her home and tie the game. Taylor Rodriguez settled in from there getting a pair of groundouts to hold the runner and catching a batter looking for the third out.
 
The action picked up again in the third inning as Rue singled to center and Mariah Hopkins reached on a throwing error to put a pair on the base paths with one out for the Penguins. Alicia Garcia came in to pinch hit and delivered a bomb over the right center fence to put the Penguins ahead 4-1. Shelby Keltner entered in the bottom of the frame with runners on first and second and kept her team in the lead with a pop up and a strikeout to end the inning.
 
Kaylee Hull doubled to left center to lead off the bottom of the fourth for the Toros and it looked like they would cut into the lead as Kianna Abellera lifted a deep fly ball into the left-center gap but Melissa Garcia made a diving catch to rob the double. Garcia was then able to get up and throw to second in time to complete the double play and clear the base paths for Keltner.
 
Ross doubled home Aguado again in the bottom of the fifth inning to close the gap to two, before Kaylee Hull doubled down the left-field line with two outs and two on to bring in two more runs and tie the game at 4-4. Dominican found some 2-out magic of their own in the top of the sixth as Kate Tobola and Garcia each legged out infield singles before Saucedo laced a ball back up the middle to bring home one for the 5-4 lead. Keltner closed things out from there retiring the side in the sixth before leaving a pair of runners stranded in scoring position in the seventh for the victory.
 
Game two
 
The Nighthawks (2-0) grabbed an early advantage in the second game as Emma Bumatay homered to straightaway center to bring in a pair of runs in the top of the second. Kassidy Stetler settled in from there for the Penguins as she struck out three of the next six batters she faced. Rue doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Hopkins drew a walk before both advanced on a sacrifice bunt. After Caitlyn Perales was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Annabelle Burke reached on a throwing error that made its way into right field allowing both runners to come home and tie the game 2-2.
 
Neither team could get much going on offense as Stetler dueled Sidney Booth from the circles until a Booth double into left center was followed by a rare fielding error from the Penguin infield to allow the winning run to score in the top of the eighth.
 
Dominican will return to the diamond for its home opener Thursday against Western Washington at noon at Penguin Field.