Dominican University of California Athletics

LINCOLN, Calif. - Dominican softball dropped both ends of a PacWest doubleheader at Jessup on Friday at Foskett Park, falling 10-2 in five innings in the opener before a late rally came up short in an 8-5 loss in game two.
 
Kate Tobola paced the Penguins (22-24, 15-15 PacWest) across the twin bill, going 3-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. Morgan Heggstrom added two hits, including a triple, to go with an RBI, while Tiare Guerrero and Morgan Saucedo finished with two hits apiece on the day and an RBI.
 
Game 1
Maddy Ybarra doubled home the first run of the game for Jessup with a pair on and Evangelina Chavarria singled through the left side to bring home the two new runners on the bases for the 3-0 lead after the first. Taylor Rodriguez singled to lead off the top of the second for Dominican and Heggstrom tripled down the left-field line to bring a run home and cut into the lead. The momentum was short-lived as Chavarria singled home two more with bases load and two out in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead to four.
 
The Penguins continued to try and battle back as Tobola singled through the left side and Guerrero singled to first to open the frame. Saucedo brought Tobola home with a single up the middle to trim the deficit to 5-2, but Dominican left the bases loaded unable to trim the lead further. Jessup, however, put together a five-run third inning to pull away behind Ybarra's two RBI and three more for Chavarria. Dominican was unable to score over the next two frames with the game ending after five.
 
Game 2
Chavarria continued to be the lynchpin to the Warriors success as she doubled home the first run of the game in the second game with Reagann Hoblit doubling to center to bring her in for the 2-0 lead after one. The Penguins quickly as Saucedo and Heggstrom singled to lead off the second and Karlyne Manuel drew a walk to load the bases. Kate Tobola pushed across a run after working from behind in the count before being hit by a pitch to get back within one.
 
Jessup got the run back in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly, but and error and a fielder's choice brought home Heggstrom to keep the game within a single run. Dominican kept the Warriors in check over the next two innings but was unable to break through themselves and Jessup scored five runs in the sixth to pull away. Dominican attempted one last comeback in the seventh. Ali Fierro sparked the inning with a pinch-hit, two-out single, Tobola followed with an RBI triple to right center, Guerrero brought home Tobola with a single up the middle and Annabelle Burke capped the scoring with an RBI double to left center. The rally ended as Chavarria induced a groundout to third to earn the victory.
 
Dominican concludes its season with a series against Vanguard beginning with a Friday doubleheader at Penguin field. First pitch is scheduled for noon PDT.