SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball dropped a doubleheader 4-0 and 7-2 Thursday to Azusa Pacific as the schools moved up their series by a day to avoid incoming rain at Penguin Field.
Tiare Guerrero led the Penguins from the plate going 3-for-7 on the day with an RBI and a stolen base.
Game One
The first game kicked off in a pitching duel as neither team could capitalize on their offensive opportunities in the first five innings. Dominican saw one of their best chances in the bottom of the second as Guerrero singled up the middle allowing
Alyssa Rue to advance to third. Guerrero stole second, but a ground out to second left the two stranded in scoring position.
The Cougars broke through in the top of the sixth after a ball fell between second and right field to put Caitlyn Decanio on the base paths. APU added four more singles in the inning to take the 3-0 lead late. The Penguins tried to come back in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles from Guerrero and Lee which put them both on base but the Penguins were unable to get them any further.
Game Two
The Cougars got off to a strong start in the second game with three solo runs including back-to-back jacks by Aly Montesino and Bella Fraser in the top of the first to quickly take the lead. Dominican finally broke through in the bottom of the second as Kama Kaleikini singled through the right side and
Morgan Saucedo reached safely on a fielder's choice to put a pair on with one out.
Caitlyn Perales singled up the middle to bring in pinch runner
Payton Oas from second for Dominican's first run of the afternoon. Guerrero followed up with a single up the middle as well allowing Saucedo to come home and trim the lead to one with Perales attempting to tie the game but she was tagged out at the plate to end the frame.
In the top of the third, APU posted two more runs to stretch the lead to 5-2 off a fielder's choice and a passed ball. Dominican had runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third and fourth innings but the timely hit alluded the Penguins as APU maintained its three-run advantage. The Cougars would add a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to stave off the Penguins.
Dominican will return to the diamond Friday for its final home games of the regular season in a doubleheader with APU beginning at noon PDT at Penguin Field.
