SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball split a pair of games Friday against Academy of Art losing the first game 4-3 before exploding to a 10-6 victory in the second game at Penguin Field.
 
Tiare Guerrero led the charge on offense for the Penguins (11-9, 3-3 PacWest) going 4-for-6 from the plate with a stolen base. Dominican also received a boost from Annabelle Burke who hit a grand slam in the second game and Kate Tobola who finished 1-for-2 with a solo shot and a sacrifice fly to finish with two RBI.
 
Game one
The Urban Knights made some two-out rallies in the first two innings to put runners on first and second but Taylor Rodriguez was able to work out of the jam and prevent any runners from crossing. Dominican's offense woke up in the bottom of the third as Kellissa Lee singled on a bouncing ball to short and Guerrero singled on a bunt on the third-base line to and Lee advanced to hard on the throw to first. After Guerrero stole second, Lee tried to sneak home on a squeeze bunt but was thrown out on the play and Kamielle Powell escaped the jam as Lida Wos secured a line drive in right field.
 
Rodriguez doubled off the wall in deep center field to lead off the bottom of the fourth with Payton Oas entering to run with the Penguins looking to score the first run of the game. Oas took third on a groundball and came home as Alyssa Rue hit a sacrifice fly to center for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Urban Knights (2-13, 1-1 PacWest) struck back as Wos singled to shallow left field and Ari Mallari doubled down the third-base line on the first two pitches of the inning. Rodriguez induced a pop up to keep the runners at second and third, but after a walk loaded the bases, Audrey Allen doubled to right field to clear the bases and take the 3-1 lead.
 
Dominican manufactured its own two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth as Taylor Eby walked and Rue singled on a sharply hit ball back to third base. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance and Morgan Saucedo stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter. Saucedo singled on a line drive inches above the first baseman's glove and the ball trickled into shallow right field allowing both runners to come home and tie the game 3-3.
ART U took was able to answer as Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki came in with runners at first and third and dropped a single into shallow center field to bring home the game winnning run as Dominican was unable to bring home Guerrero in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff single.
 
Game two
The Urban Knights seemed to maintain the momentum heading into the second inning as they put a pair of runners on to begin the game. Allen then doubled to left center to bring home the first two runs of the game. Liberty Herrera then singled with two outs to bring home Allen for the 3-0 lead. Tobola homered to left field to lead off the bottom of the first and cut the Penguins deficit to two runs.
 
Dominican then began the bottom of the second with three walks to load the bases with one out. Kayla Vaughan induced a pop up and looked like she may escape the bases-loaded jam as Burke appeared to hit a slow grounder to third, but it was ruled foul as it hit her inside the box. Burke made use of the new life fouling off several balls to work herself into a full count before launching a high fly ball to straightway center that cleared the fence for her first career grand slam, giving the Penguins the 5-3 lead.
 
Dominican kept it rolling in the bottom of the third as they loaded the bases on walks and a hit by pitch before Leslie Ruiz and Morgan Saucedo singled up the middle to bring home two more runs. After Tobola drove in another with a sacrifice fly, Marina Medina singled up the middle to bring home Ruiz. With one out, Guerrero drew a throw to second and induced the infield into a pickle allowing Kelissa Lee to come home from third to make it 10-3.
 
It was all the room Stetler needed as she threw balls into the zone knowing she had the lead to work with to shorten the game and earn the victory to move to 2-3 on the year.
 
Dominican will meet the Urban Knights again Saturday as it travels south for a doubleheader beginning at noon at Mission Blue Field in Brisbane.