California Baptist University
Hope International University (Calif.)
MAGIC NO. 1
4/15/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
BUENA PARK, Calif. ? One is the number California Baptist has stared down the last five years and once again the NAIA's top-ranked team now looks at another number one.
The Lancers' (46-4, 19-1 GSAC) magic number is now one after CBU run ruled Hope International 13-3 and 12-3, Tuesday. With four conference games remaining and a three-game lead over second place Point Loma Nazarene, the Lancers now need just one more conference win for a share of its fifth straight GSAC title and need two more wins to capture it outright.
CBU scored a combined 25 runs on 25 hits between the two games and hit .410 (25-for-61) on the day.
Erin Moore, who was coming off a week in which she hit .700, went 5-for-7 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
In the opener, both Moore and Chantal Millard were 3-for-4 at the plate as both drove in a pair of runs and scored a run as well. Allison Dennis and Karina Slauenwhite both went 2-for-3 as each hit their third home run of the year.
The Lancers took a 3-0 lead after Sara Goforth scored on a Royal's error in the first and Millard drove in two with a double in the top of the second. Hope answered in the bottom of the second by tying the game at three.
CBU took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth, but the Lancers added eight more insurance runs in the sixth. Two of those runs came on back-to-back home runs by Slauenwhite and Dennis to lead off the inning. Dennis then capped the inning off by driving in two runs with a single.
Despite being under the weather, Amy Thomas (25-2) threw all six innings allowing just three runs on six hits.
In the nightcap, four different Lancers had multiple hits including Nikki Lowe who was a perfect 2-for-2. Lowe also notched a pair of RBIs and scored two runs as well.
The Lancers got bookend four-run innings and scored at least one run in five of the six innings played. Melanie Ahumada (21-2) picked up the win going the complete six innings allowing three runs on seven hits.
California Baptist will now take a break from conference play as it makes a trip to Cal State San Marcos, Saturday, for a noon doubleheader.
