SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball dropped the series finale 2-1 to University of Hawai'i at Hilo on Saturday afternoon at Penguin Field.
Kate Tobola went 2-for-4 and
Alyssa Rue was 2-for-3 for the Penguins (20-15, 11-8 PacWest) while
Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez pitched four shutout innings in relief. Madi Lee earned the victory in the circle for the Vulcans (not allowing an earned run in a complete game of work.
Jayda Favela reached on an error to lead off the game with a sacrifice bunt moving her inot scoring position. Victoria Macia singled to move her 60-feet from the plate and a wild pitch provided the opportunity for her to come home for the 1-0 UHH lead. Dominican looked to answer as Tobola singled up the middle and a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt put a pair of runners on with no outs. The Penguins elected to go with some small ball as a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position, but Lee got a groundout and a foul out to end the threat and preserve her lead.
Favela tripled to center to lead off the top of the third and came home on a sacrifice fly to take the 2-0 lead in the game's only earned run.
Payton Oas singled to short and stole second before Tobola singled to shallow right field to put runners on the corners.
Alexis Abalos entered as a pinch runner and stole second to keep the momentum going. Oas made a break for home on a groundout to second and the relay throw by first base went wide to allow her to score with Abalos advancing to third with the deficit sitting at 2-1. After
Annabelle Burke drew a walk, her pinch runner,
Karlyne Manuel, stole second to keep the pressure on the Vulcans. Unfortunately Abalos got caught off the bag at second on a groundball and was tagged out before another fielders choice ended the frame with no further runs crossing.
Rayna White and Favela had a pair of infield singles to lead off the top of the fifth, but Torres-Gonzalez settled in and retired the next three batters to keep her team within striking distance. Dominican was unable to generate much on offense over the next two frames and the Vulcans threatened again in the top of the sevent. Mia Joaquin singled and Favela doubled to right center to put runners on second and third with one out. Kiani Nakamura flied out to Oas in left field and Kealohi Markham attempted to come home but Oas throw beat her to Eby at the plate and Eby applied the tag to end the inning.
Rue singled to lead off ht ebottom of the seventh and Oas reached on a fielder's choice as the second baseman dropped a throw to get the lead runner. Once again base running hurt the Penguins as
Alyssa Williams was picked off at second base. Guerrero singled to left to once again push the tying run into scoring position, but Mariah Antoque snagged a hard line drive back to third to end the game.
Dominican will face Western Washington in a single game Wednesday at noon PDT at Penguin Field.
