SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball fell 7-3 in its home opener Thursday afternoon to Western Washington at Penguin Field.
Caitlyn Perales led three Penguins (1-3) with multiple hits as she went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Morgan Saucedo and
Alyssa Rue each added 2-for-4 performances from the plate with a run each while Saucedo recorded a double and a stolen base. Kaiana Kong earned her first victory of the season for the Vikings (5-0) as she allowed two earned runs in five innings of relief.
It was an inauspicious start for Dominican as McKenna Crum singled to shortstop beating the throw to first with Hailey Rath adding a single up the middle to put runners on first and second. Emma Andrewjeski stepped to the plate and sent a 2-2 pitch over the center-field fence for the 3-0 lead. The Penguins looked to respond in the bottom of the first as
Melissa Garcia walked before Saucedo doubled to the fence in right center to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Joie Baker was able to work out of the jam striking out the next two batters before a high fly ball ended the inning.
Perales singled to lead off the second as a sharply hit ball took a high hop past the third baseman before Kama Keleikini put down a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position.
Alicia Garcia brought her home on a double to straightaway center field to trim the lead to 3-1 heading to the third.
Rue singled on a looper to shallow right field in the bottom of the third before
Olivia Lee legged out a single on a high chopper near the circle to put runners on first and second. Perales then brought Rue home on a single up the middle as she beat a throw to the plate to trim the lead to 3-2.
After a scoreless fourth, Ashley Jacobson doubled to right field to score two and moved to third on a fielding error to give the Vikings some breathing room. Jacobson then scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 6-2. Rue and Lee singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth for the Penguins but once again the WWU defense made the plays necessary to leave the runners stranded and hold their lead.
After the Vikings added a run in the sixth, Dominican had one last gasp effort as Saucedo singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh and then stole second.
Shelby Keltner brought her home with a single to shallow left before Lexi Barcomb robbed Perales of her third hit making the catch on the run with an outstretched glove to end the game.
Dominican will return to the diamond Friday to take on Cal State Monterey Bay at 12:30 p.m. at Penguin Field.
