California Baptist University
University of Mobile (Ala.)
HOME STREAK ENDED
3/4/2008 8:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? Playing its second straight team ranked in the top 15, California Baptist split games with No. 13 Mobile winning the opener 1-0, before falling in a heartbreaker, 8-7.
The Lady Rams (8-2) snapped a 53 home-game winning streak by the Lancers (18-2) that dates all the way back to the 2006 season. The last loss CBU suffered at home came against Concordia.
“Mobile is one of the best hitting teams in the country,” said CBU head coach Mike Smith. “We made some mistakes leaving the ball up and it cost us. We let some runs get away because we weren't focused. I told the girls after the game that you just have to tip your cap to them. I promise you will see that team down the line somewhere.”
Chantal Millard did it all for California Baptist going 4-for-6 at the plate, including a pair of doubles, with two runs scored and an RBI.
Amy Thomas (10-1) threw a four-hit, complete-game shutout in the opener. She walked just one batter and struck out three.
Kelly Maconachy was the hero in game one with a two-out single up the middle that scored Nicole Shoemaker from third to break a scoreless tie. Shoemaker started the inning off with a walk before advancing to second on a ground out and then moved to third on a wild pitch setting up Maconachy's single.
“When we play how we are supposed to play, that's how good we can be on defense,” said Smith. “Amy did a great job of keep this great hitting team off balance and our defense did exactly what they needed to do.”
In the nightcap, CBU looked to be in control again after a Millard double and a Nikki Lowe sacrifice fly put the Lancers up 2-0 in the first. The Lady Rams answered again in the top of the second with a two-run shot by Jineth Pimentel. Mobile added three more in the third including another two-run home run by Anadys Suarez
CBU made it 5-3 when Millard scored on a Shoemaker single, but Mobile added two more in the fifth. After Pimentel and Keyln Mendoz ripped consecutive singles, Jennifer Gomez hit a two-RBI double to give the Lady Rams a 7-3 lead. Mobile took an 8-3 lead with a single run in the sixth.
The Lancers rallied in the sixth scoring four runs to get within one at 8-7. After Shoemaker reached on an error and Karina Slauenwhite got a pinch-hit single, Allison Dennis got her first collegiate hit by drilling three-run blast over the left field wall to cut the score to 8-6. Brianna Corral, who came in for Nikki Lowe because she injured her ankle, singled to right to score Goforth.
That was as close as the Lancers came as they went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
CBU will now host Lee and North Dakota tomorrow at 11:30 and 2 p.m.
