AZUSA, Calif. – Dominican softball shrugged off a disappointing 2-1 loss in eight innings to Azusa Pacific to win 2-0 behind yet another Taylor Rodriguez gem in the second game Monday afternoon at Cougar Softball Field.
 
Aneesa Brewer delivered a pair of clutch hits for the Penguins (25-19, 16-11 PacWest) going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Kate Tobla went 2-for-6 with a double and two runs scored. Rodriguez however was the star of the day pitching 8.2 innings while not allowing an earned run including the complete game shutout, her fifth of the season.
 
Game one
Nayellys Torres-Gonzalez started strong in the circle for Dominican with Ava Hernandez countering her for the Cougars (25-16, 17-9 PacWest) with the Penguins holding an early advantage getting three base runners in the first four innings while Torres-Gonzalez allowed one. Bella Fraser finally put a second base runner on for APU in the bottom of the fifth with a single to left and the Cougars cashed in as Alexus Corona doubled to center to bring her home for the 1-0 lead.
 
Tobola doubled to left to lead off the top of the sixth advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt with Tiare Guerrero also reaching safely as the catcher's indecision resulted in her dropping the ball on the double clutch to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch allowed Tobola to score and Guerrero advanced to third with one out, but Hernandez was able to get a batter swinging to prevent the sacrifice fly opportunity and escaped the inning on a groudout.
 
Brewer singled to left with two outs and looked as if she would move into scoring position for Tobola as Melissa Garcia was hit by a pitch, but the home plate umpire determined Garcia had leaned into the pitch and Hernandez got her to fly out to center to end the inning. The Cougars put the leadoff on the bases with a hit by pitch in the bottom of the frame, but Rodriguez entered and Guerrero fielded a bouncing ball up the middle to step on second and throw to first for the double play. Sydney Juarez doubled down the left-field line as a pinch hitter to keep the pressure on as a walk and another controversial hit by pitch call loaded the bases. Rodriguez remained unfazed and got a flyout to center to send the game to extras.
 
Tobola singled to center to leadoff the top of the eighth for Dominican and Guerrero reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt. After a successful sacrifice bunt, Alvarez struck out two of the next three batters swinging to escape the jam. It was errors that proved the downfall for the Penguins as an error put Julia Doan on to lead off before a bunt single and a throwing error with two outs allowed the winning run to come home.
 
Game two
Doan and Cailtin Decanio each singled for the Cougars to put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the first, but it would be their best shot to score on Rodriguz as she induced back-to-back popouts to Guerrero at short to leave the runners stranded.

Saucedo doubled to left center on the second pitch she saw in the top of the third and Tobola walked to put a pair on for the Penguins with one out. A deep fly out in foul territory allowed both runners to advance and bring Brewer to the plate. Brewer went down in the count early but continued to battle fighting off a pair of strikes until she doubled off the wall in left field on the seventh pitch of the at bat to bring in both runners for the 2-0 lead.
 
Rodriguez became even more dialed in with the lead, leaving a pair stranded in the bottom of the third before retiring the side in the fourth on seven pitches. Sommer Quinones briefly broke up the pitching brilliance with a single to center in the bottom of the fifth, but seven pitches later she had advanced no further and watched as Guerrero threw to first for the final out of the frame.
 
Rodriguez retired the side in the sixth and allowed one runner on in the seventh, but no one made it further than first down the stretch as she secured the shutout with help from her defense.
 
Dominican will return to Northern California as it begins a four game series with Jessup on Friday with a doubleheader at Foskett Regional Park in Lincoln at noon PDT.