SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball kept it close but could not quite top No. 16 Concordia University Irvine falling 3-2 in the first game and 4-3 in 10 innings in game two Saturday at Penguin Field.
The Penguins (6-9, 1-3 PacWest) had several contributors with
Jadyn Magnuson going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the first game with
Annabelle Burke going 2-for-4 with two RBI in the second game. Morgan Kneubuhler was the hero of the day for the Golden Eagles (20-8, 10-2 PacWest) finishing with two home runs.
Game One
Taylor Rodriguez was masterful for much of the first game as she left a runner stranded at second in the first.
Tiare Guerrero walked and Magnuson picked up where she left off Friday as she homered to left center to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead. Rodriguez retired the side in the second and
Kelissa Lee singled to center to put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the second causing the Golden Eagles to make a pitching change.
Kira Morris entered and was able to escape the jam to keep the deficit from growing further. Jessica Im doubled home a run in the top of the third, but Rodriguez left her stranded as she collected two more outs to end the frame. Magnusson singled to center but was left at second after Morris induced a groundout to end the third.
Rodriguez kept CUI off the base paths over the next two innings but Im beat out a throw to first on a slow groundball to second and Kneubuhler homered to left center to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth. Dominican had one last opportunity in the bottom of the seventh as Heggstrom singled down the third-base line and
Kate Tobola walked to move her into scoring position, but Kailey Estes entered and got a pair of outs to end the game and earn the save.
Game two
Kneubuhler homered to left in the top of the fourth to open the scoring for the Golden Eagles in the second game and Caitlyn Campbell added another solo shot to left center to move the lead to 2-0 in the sixth. The Penguins struck back as
Alexis Abalos singled up the middle and
Kate Tobola singled up the third-base line.
Tiare Guerrero then pushed a bunt into a hole between the third basemen and pitcher to load the bases with two outs. Burke singled to left to bring home two runs to tie the game. Heggstrom walked to load the bases a second time and Rodriguez came in to pinch hit and nearly gave Dominican a lead, but Mya Diaz made a great backhanded stop up the middle and tossed the ball to second to leave the score tied heading to the seventh.
Guerrero singled to right center in the bottom of the eighth and moved to second on a wild pitch with one outs, but Estes was able to retire the next two batters to prevent another walk-off. With the tiebreaker going into effect in the 10th inning, CUI took advantage with a pair of sacrifice flies to take a 4-2 lead. Tobola brought home Dominican's placed runner in the bottom of the 10th, but a deflection by the pitcher caused a collision between second and third resulting in runner's interference and an end to the game.
Dominican will head to the islands next week beginning with a doubleheader at University of Hawai'i at Hilo on Wednesday at Noon HST at Vulcan Softball Field.
