SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball swept Menlo winning 10-2 and 9-0 in a pair of six inning games Saturday at Penguin Field.
Kelissa Lee was on fire from the plate going 3-for-3 with five RBI, a home run, a stolen base and a walk to lead the Penguins (22-16, 13-8 PacWest).
Taylor Rodriguez (11-3) allowed two hits and combined with
Hannah Escalante for the complete game shutout. Nayellys Torres-Gonzales (4-5) earned the victory in the first game allowing one earned run in three innings of work with
Kassidy Stetler earning her third save with three innings of relief with no earned runs.
Game One
Tacia Kahalewai singled to center and Alexandra Attard doubled down the left-field line to put a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the first for the Oaks (8-24, 7-13 PacWest). Torres-Gonzalez though would not allow a run to cross as she got the next batter swinging to end the threat.
Menlo's pitching was effective through most of the first two innings getting to two outs in the bottom of the second with no hits allowed.
Alicia Garcia was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive and
Marina Medina singled to right field for Dominican's first hit of the game. Lee singled to left field to bring two runs in for the Penguins and
Kate Tobola homered to left center in the next at bat to make it 4-0 heading into the third.
Grace Christian doubled to right center to lead off the top of the third, but Torres-Gonzalez caught the next batter looking to keep her in place.
Melissa Garcia laid out for an over the shoulder diving catch in front of the fence in center field, but the amazing catch allowed Christian to come home from second to trim the Oaks' deficit to three. Dominican picked up right where they left off in the second as Sauced and Eby singled with melissa Garcia reaching on an error to load the bases with one out. Three walks brought in three runs with Tobola bringing home a fourth on a sacrifice fly to left center to take the 8-1 lead.
Stetler retired the side in the fourth to maintain the lead but Aliya Lubrin singled on a bunt to lead off the fifth and advanced on a fly ball and a passed ball to move to third with two outs. Emma Medina singled through the left side to trim the Menlo deficit to 8-2.
Alicia Garcia got the run back immediately as she sent a solo shot into the trees out of right center to take the 9-2 lead but the eight-run lead would allude them despite
Karlyne Manuel and Lee singling with no outs.
Alexis Abalos singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth and advanced on a wild pitch before
Morgan Heggstrom delivered a single up the middle to bring in the game-winning run.
Game Two
The Penguins stayed hot in the second game as
Tiare Guerrero doubled off the diving glove of the short stop in the bottom of the first before drawing a throw to second base on a groundball to allow
Annabelle Burke to reach safely.
Morgan Saucedo drew a walk to load the bases and
Taylor Eby narrowly missed a grand slam as she doubled off the fence in right to bring home a pair of runs. Rodriguez singled to bring in Saucedo and
Alicia Garcia reached on a fielder's choice to score another for the 4-0 lead heading to the second.
The side was retired over the next four frames and Rodriguez left a pair of runners stranded in the top of the fourth to maintain her sizeable advantage. Rodriguez walked and
Alicia Garcia was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fourth with
Alyssa Rue reaching on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners. Rue stole second and
Melissa Garcia singled through the left side to bring in a run before stealing second herself to keep two runners in scoring position. Tiare Guerrer singled up the middle to bring home Rue for the 6-0 lead, but the scoring ended there as the Oaks finally got out of the inning with a flyout down the right-field line.
Rodriguez left a leadoff walk stranded at first base in the top of the fifth and Escalante retired the side thanks to Guerrero turning an inning-ending double play in the top of the sixth.
Melissa Garcia doubled off the shin of the pitcher to lead off the bottom of the sixth and
Kaitlyn Aguilar singled to bring her home for the 7-0 lead. Lee then stepped to the plate and ended the game as she homered to left on a line drive of the first pitch she saw.
Dominican will host No. 19 San Francisco State to conclude its home stand Tuesday with the first pitch of the doubleheader scheduled for noon PDT.