IRVINE, Calif. – Dominican softball won 11-3 over Cal State San Bernardino to open the day before dropping a 7-0 decision to No. 14 Cal State San Marcos in the night cap at the Great Park.
 
Taylor Rodriguez earned her first victory of her senior year as she pitched four innings and struck out three while going 2-for-3 from the plate with a double and two RBI. Kate Tobola also had a brilliant first game going 2-for-2 with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored.
 
Game One
The first inning was sponsored by Loki, God of Chaos.  The Coyotes scored the first run of the game after Madison Zaro struck out swinging with runners on second and third, but the pitch hit the plate and got away from the catcher allowing Ashley Legler to come home and put runners back on second and third. Another wild pitch during the ensuing at bat brought home Katie Griego and Danyelle Castillo drove home a third run as she singled to shallow center with two outs. Rodriguez struck out Iliana Mejia swining and the ball hit the dirt yet again, but this time Morgan Hegstrom was able to corral it off the bounce and throw to first to get out of the inning without further damage.
 
As wild as the top half was, the bottom topped it. Tobola tripled to lead off the game to straightway center and then drew the eyes of the second baseman on a grounder as she inched up the line causing an error that put runners on the corners. Morgan Saucedo walked to load the bases with no outs. Legler struck out the next batter but a wild pitch brought home Tobola. After a groundout put the CSUSB an out away from escaping the jam, Annabelle Burke drew a walk and Leslie Ruiz reached safely on a fielding error at third to bring in a second run. Kelissa Lee drew a walk to tie the game and Marina Medina entered as a pinch hitter and singled to shallow left field on the second pitch she saw to drive home two runs. Tobola then singled up the middle as the ball took an odd bounce away from the short stop bring home two more and advanced to second on the throw. Tiare Guerrero singled up the middle to bring home Tobola to make it 8-3. All told the first inning took 41 minutes, saw three runs scored on wild pitches and seven unearned runs.
 
The rest of the game lasted 57 minutes by comparison as Rodriguez retired the first two batters before Legler doubled to right center but fell rounding second and was tagged out to end the frame. Rodrigues doubled to center and Hegstrom singled to right to bring her pinch runner home for the 9-3 lead with the Coyotes retiring the next three batters.
Rodriguez struck out another to end the next frame and leave a runners stranded at first to keep the momentum on the side of the Penguins. Tobola walked with one out in the bottom of the third and beat an attempted throw to second as the defensive player was late covering the bag allowing Guerrero to reach safely. Rodriguez doubled down the left-field linen to bring home both runners and extend the Dominican lead to 11-3.
 
Game two
Not much went right for the Penguins against a formidable ranked opponent in the Cougars. Rae D'Amato singled to left center to lead off and put a runner aboard for CSUSM. A fielder's choice recorded the first out and Ruiz tracked a ball well and made a great grab in foul territory for the second out, but an errant throw in an attempt to put out Jillian Albayatti at second allowed her to come all the way home for a 1-0 lead. 
 
Dominican put a pair of runners on with walks over the first three innings but could advance them no further as Madison Cabrera kept them off balance from the circle. D'Amato tripled in her second plate appearance and Albayatti homered to left-center to take the 3-0 lead. The Cougars were not done yet as Lauren Deplitch singled on a bunt down the third base line with runners at first and second and another wild throw brought home a run. Malaia Huskey then tripled to left center to make it 6-0 with one out. Guerrero finally ended the inning as she chased down a popup in the hole at short and her momentum carried her to the perfect spot to tag Huskey diving back to third for the unassisted double play.

The Cougars would add another insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, but Kaitlyn Aguilar spoiled their attempt at a no-hitter as she singled to shallow right center with two outs in the top of the seventh for Dominican.
 
The Penguins will conclude its competition at the Concordia Kickoff Classic on Sunday as it faces Nebraska Kearney at 11:30 a.m. PST on Field 1 at the Great Park.