TURLOCK, Calif. – Domincian softball held off Stanislaus State for a doubleheader sweep winning 2-1 and 5-4 Friday afternoon at Warrior Softball Field.
Taylor Rodriguez went 5-for-7 from the plate with three RBI to lead the Penguins (5-2) offense in both games.
Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez (2-2) earned the victory in the first game pitching 3.2 innings of shutout ball, while
Hannah Escalante earned the victory in game two with 4.1 innings pitched while allowing two earned runs in her first appearance of the season in the circle. McKenna Beach led the Warriors (3-3) with an RBI in each game while going 2-for-6 from the plate.
Game One
Melissa Garcia drew a walk to lead off and moved to second on
Tiare Guerrero's sacrifice bunt. Rodriguez hit a slow rolling ball in between the pitcher and third base and reached the bag safely with no throw for a single to put runners on the corners. Rodriguez tried to draw a throw to second but had no luck and walked to the bag for a steal with two outs, but Victoria Alarcon escaped the jam after inducing a flyout to left field.
After the Penguins retired the side in the bottom of the first,
Kaitlyn Aguilar reached safely on a one hopper back to the pitcher that skipped off her glove and then threw low to first.
Kate Tobola entered as a pinch runner and stole second with one out before
Caitlyn Perales singled on a looping ball to left center to put runners at the corners for the second consecutive inning. Alarcon withstood the pressure again getting a strikeout on the next batter before a flyout to right ended the frame. Dominican retired the side once again in the bottom of the second thanks in large part to Guerrerro who handled a bouncing ball up the middle perfectly before stepping on second and throwing to first for a double play.
Stanislaus State finally found some offense in the bottom of the fourth as Katie Thornsberry reached safely on a hit by pitch and then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice. McKenna Beach singled to shallow center to bring her home for the 1-0 Warrior lead. The Penguins made a pitching change to
Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez who righted things forcing a fielder's choice and then catching the final batter swinging to keep Dominican within striking distance.
A walk and an error once again put runners on the corners for the Penguins in the top of the fifth, but Alarcon escaped for the third time with a strikeout and a popout.
Morgan Heggstrom doubled down the right-field line to lead off the top of the sixth and put Dominican right back in scoring position.
Leslie Ruiz dropped a perfect bunt in front of the plate and Heggstrom drew attention to let her reach first before a pickle allowed Heggstrom to score and tie the game 1-1.
The Penguins delivered another clean frame to Torres-Gonzalez as Perales made a diving grab on a line drive into the left-center gap to bring up the Penguins with a chance to take the lead in the seventh. Guerrero singled on a bunt down the third-base line before promptly stealing second and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. Rodriguez then caught the defense off guard by laying down a bunt up the first-base line to bring home Guerrero for an RBI single that give Dominican a 2-1 lead. Alarcon made sure the lead did not grow further to give her team a chance in the bottom of the frame. After Sarah Warden signled through the left side a popout and fly out to center had the Penguins a single out away from the victory. Avery Jolley was hit by a pitch to move the runner into scoring position as the crowd moved to their edge of their seats with the tying run now in scoring position. Sasha Martello came in to pinch hit but Torres-Gonzalez got her to pop up high near the pitcher's circle where
Morgan Saucedo made the catch to end the game.
Game Two
The Warriors struck first once again in the nightcap as Allejandra Perea singled to lead off the bottom of the second and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. An error at first base put runners on the corners and Shelby Frutoz sent a slow roller to shortstop to give just enough time for Perea to beat the relay throw home after the force out at first. Malia Babasa looked to bring in another run for Stanislaus State but Garcia made a beautiful diving grab in shallow center field to keep it a 1-run game for the Penguins heading to the third.
Taylor Eby singled down the left-field line to lead off the third. Perales then reached safely on a fielding error with Garcia following up with a single back up the middle to load the bases with no outs.
Annabelle Burke sent a line drive into center to bring home Eby with Perales advancing to third on the play. After Garcia stole second,
Taylor Rodriguez smoked a ball down the third-base line that proved too hot to handle bringing home Perales for the 2-1 lead. Heggstrom walked to load the bases once more and
Alyssa Rue followed suit by drawing another walk to bring home Garcia for the 3-1 lead. The Warriors got one run back in the bottom of the frame as Beach doubled up the middle to bring home Thornsberry, but Escalante retired the next three batters to leave runners stranded at second and third.
Dominican's defense continued to show out as Guerrero started a 6-4-3 double play in the bottom of the fourth to help retire the side. The Penguins used the defensive momentum in the top of the fifth as Guerrero reached on an error and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Rodriguez then dropped a ball into shallow left field to bring her home for the 4-2 lead.
Escalante had another clean frame in the bottom of the fifth and Rue led off the sixth with a double to the fence in left center.
Aneesa Brewer came in to pinch hit and singled as she went up high for a bunt putting it under the glove of the charging third basemen. Perales brought home Rue with a sacrifice fly to left to extend the lead to 5-2.
Escalante needed only five pitches to retire the side in the bottom of the sixth, but Stanislaus State finally found some success against her in the bottom of the seventh. Frutoz singled up the middle to lead off the inning and Babasa singled on a perfect bunt in front of home plate to put a pair on with one out.
Kassidy Stetler entered in relief, but Karli Dalbianco doubled to right field with two outs to put the tying run in scoring position. Stetler kept her there as she got the final batter swinging to earn the save.
Dominican will be back in Turlock next week as it begins play in the Tournament of Champions on Friday against Cal State San Bernardino at 9 a.m. PST on Field 3 at Pedretti Sports Complex. The Penguins will then conclude its first day of competition at 11:30 a.m. versus Saint Martin's on Field 2.
