2006-03-21 vusc
3/21/2006 5:47:05 PM | Softball
SHERMAN SAVES CBU IN SWEEP
Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- The NAIA’s No. 1-ranked California Baptist did it all Tuesday, using its potent offense and clutch pitching to key its way to a GSAC doubleheader sweep of Vanguard.
The Lancers raked 14 hits in a 9-1 win in the opener and then rode the arm of Sarah Sherman to a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
Sherman was 3-for-3 with 2 runs in the opener and then turned around and tossed a complete-game, 4-hitter in the nightcap.
With the sweep, California Baptist improves to 31-0 overall, 6-0 GSAC. Vanguard drops to 15-14, 1-5.
With the Lancers’ win in the second game, head coach Mike Smith picked up his 300th career victory. In less than 8 seasons, Smith is now 300-139, including a 131-22 mark in 2-plus seasons at CBU.
After getting 14 hits and 9 runs in the opener, the nightcap was a complete contrast as the Lancers were held to their lowest hit output of the season by Vanguard starter Jennifer Rynda. They had just 3 hits, snapping a 7-game streak with double-digit hits, but 2 of the 3 were big.
With 2 outs in the second Shannon Brandt hit her fourth home run of the season to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. The Lions, though, manufactured a run in the fourth with an error, sacrifice and RBI single by Sarah Howe to tie it up.
However, in the bottom of the inning, Casandrah Carreon belted her fifth homer of the season, a 2-run, 2-out shot to give the Lancers a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.
Sherman (11-0) went the distance, giving up just 4 hits and one unearned run. Impressively, she didn’t allow a walk while striking out 7. She gave up a solo homer to Rachel Bomgren in the fifth but then retired 7 of the final 8 batters. The Lions put the tying run on second with one out in the seventh, but Sherman struck out Jenna Willis and pinch-hitter Ashley Ocasio to end the game and keep the Lancers’ 31-game winning streak alive.
Sara Goforth had the Lancers only other hit. In addition to giving up just 3 hits in 6 innings in the circle, Rynda also had 2 hits, going 2-for-3.
It was business as usual in the first game as the Lancers rolled to their 18th mercy-ruled win of the season. They did all their damage with 3 big innings and then let Candice Thomas (18-0) clean up in the circle. Thomas scattered 4 hits in 6 innings, giving up just one run while striking out 4.
Two batters after Chantal Millard doubled, Geanie Jenkins hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season in the first to give the Lancers a 2-0 lead.
Jenkins was 3-for-4 with 3 runs, 4 RBIs and a pair of doubles.
They then put the game out of reach with a 4-run third. Sherman, who was 3-for-3, led off with a single and moved to third on Goforth’s double. Millard then executed a perfect squeeze play to score Sherman before reigning GSAC Player of the Year Tami Trujillo crushed her fourth home run of the season to make it 5-0. Later in the inning, Carreon delivered an RBI single.
After Vanguard got one back in the fourth on a fielder’s choice, the Lancers scored 3 more times in the sixth to end the game. Jenkins hit a 2-RBI double and then scored the game-ending run on Nikki Lowe’s double.
Lowe was 3-for-4. Trujillo was 2-for-4.
