California Baptist University
Concordia
LOWE RIDER
4/28/2007 7:00:00 AM | Softball
IRVINE, Calif. --- So much for the inconsistency of the long ball. Nikki Lowe was about as locked in as she could be in Saturday's 8-0, 4-1 sweep over Concordia, with a grand slam in game one and a 3-run homer in game 2.
Although those were her only hits of the day, Lowe can't be too disappointed, as the Lancers finish out GSAC with their best-ever record, a 22-2 mark. California Baptist, which finishes out the regular season at 49-3, hosts the NAIA Region II Playoffs May 8-10 at Big League Dreams in Riverside.
Concordia finishes the regular season at 31-20, with an 8-16 record in GSAC play and fails to reach the regional tournament for the first time since 2001.
Lowe followed up a bases-loaded single from Kelly Maconachy and a bases-loaded walk by Sara Goforth with the bases-clearing blast in the second inning of game one, as the Lancers supported starter Candice Thomas, who improves to 25-1 with the 3-hit shutout.
Thomas, who didn't walk a batter and struck out 3 in the win, had some more help in the fourth inning, when Lowe reached on an error and stayed aboard thanks to an error on Geanie Jenkins' ground ball, which put runners at first and third with nobody out in the fourth. Casandrah Carreon plated Lowe with an infield single, and Erin Moore's RBI hit to centerfield made the final score 8-0.
Concordia made 2 more errors in the first inning of game 2, including one to allow Chantal Millard to reach following Goforth's leadoff single. After Lowe's 3-run homer made the score 3-0, Carreon and Moore followed up with singles to put runners at first and second with no outs. After Shawna Rainwater hit into a fielder's choice, retiring Carreon, Sarah Hurlbut reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Moore to plate the fourth run of the inning.
The Eagles' only offense of the day came in the fifth inning, when Ashley Evans was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and Shannon Walton doubled her in to make the final score 4-1. Evans was doubled up in an inning-ending 3-5 double play, as Alexandra Ariaz lined into a twin-killing.
Amy Thomas picked up her 24th win (against just 2 losses), with 7 frames of 2-hit ball where she surrendered just the one earned run while walking one and fanning 4.
Moore finished with a team-high 3 hits on the afternoon.
