IRVINE, Calif. – Dominican softball won its second extra inning games in as many days as it topped Cal State San Bernardino 8-6 in nine innings Saturday evening at the Great Park.

Annabelle Burke came through in the clutch for the Penguins (3-1) taking part in every rally to overcome a 3-run deficit. Burke finished the day  going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Taylor Rodriguez (2-0) earned the victory in the circle after not allowing an earned run over three innings pitched to close out the game while also going 2-for-4 from the plate with a double, an RBI and a run scored. 

Melissa Garcia singled to lead off the Penguins for the fourth straight game sending the ball into shallow right field before advancing to second on a passed ball. Garcia forced some hesitation by the third baseman allowing Medina to reach safely on an error, but the Coyotes were able to retire the next two batters to get out of the jam. After Dominican retired the first two batters, CSUSB went on a rally with a single and a walk. Emilie Lapena singled to bring home the first run of the game but was caught in a pickle trying to extend the hit into a double and was tagged by Morgan Saucedo to end the inning.

Taylor Rodriguez singled in the top of the fourth to put a runner on for the Penguins and Kate Tobola entered the game as a pinch runner. After Tobola stole second, Saucedo drew a walk to put a pair on for Taylor Eby with two outs. Eby doubled to deep center and the Coyotes played the relay through perfectly as Brooke Brazill cut off a throw home to catch Eby turning for third for the final out, but not before two runners crossed the plate to give Dominican a 2-1 lead. The momentum was short lived as an error prolonged the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runners on base and Mia Escujuri delivered a two-out double to center to score both to retake the 3-2 lead.

Kelissa Lee and Garcia each singled in the top of the fifth to get the Penguins off to yet another strong start to the inning. Medina singled on a bunt to load the bases, but a fly out to center helped the Coyotes escape the frame with the lead. Bri Goris doubled to left center and Lapena singled to center to put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of fifth. Iliana Mejia then doubled to left to drive in both and extend the lead to 5-2 heading to the sixth. 

Dominican remained resolute in the face of adversity as Annabelle Burke  doubled down the left-field line to lead off the sixth and Morgan Saucedo singled up the middle. Caitlyn Perales brought home Burke on a slow ground ball and Lee reached on a throwing error with Saucedo coming home to trim the gap to 5-4. Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez allowed no hits and left a pair of runners stranded in the bottom of the sixth to give her team one last chance to tie. 

After a fly out and a ground out began the seventh, things looked bleak for the Penguins. Burke stepped to the plate and took a first pitch ball. She turned well on the second pitch she saw and drove it over the left-field fence to tie the game 5-5. Rodriguez took over in the circle in the bottom of the seventh and left a pair of runners stranded to send the game to extras. 

Alexis Abalos was placed on second to start the extras for the Penguins and Garcia brought her home on a double to left field to take the 6-5 lead. Tiare Guerrero singled through the right side to advance her to third as Dominican looked for some insurance but Tereise Tosi snagged a line drive back up the first-base line on the next at bat to end the frame. Escujuri led off the bottom of the frame with a double to bring in the placed runner and tie the game once again. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third and Dominican loaded the bases with a pair of intentional walks. Rodriguez got Lapena to ground out to third to hold the tie and then struck out Mejia to send the game to the ninth. 

Rodriguez helped herself as she doubled to center field to score the placed runner to lead off the ninth. This time the Penguins played some small ball with Burke laying down a sacrifice to move Rodriguez 60-feet from the two-run lead. Saucedo did her job on the next at bat sending the ball deep into right field to bring home the run on a sac fly. Trailing by two, CSUSB had to change its tactics in the bottom of the frame as a fly out started the frame before Rodriguez caught the next two batters swinging to secure her second win of the day.

Dominican will conclude its play at the Concordia Kickoff Classic as it takes on Western Oregon on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. PST.