California Baptist University
Cal State San Marcos
SPLITTING HEADACHE
4/19/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
SAN MARCOS, Calif. ? Top-ranked California Baptist's bats took a game and a half to wake up as the Lancers split games with No. 20 Cal State San Marcos in a non-conference doubleheader. CBU mustered just two hits in a 1-0 loss in the opener but rebounded in the nightcap to win 10-0.
Amy Thomas (25-3) didn't get any support in the circle throwing a five-hit shutout through the first seven innings of play. The Lancers (47-5) got one hit in each of the second and third innings, but that was all the offense CBU had.
After a scoreless game through the first eight innings, the Cougars (25-15) finally broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth. Karen Morizi, who started the inning at second because of the international tiebreaker rule, moved over to third on a passed ball. CBU then intentionally walked the next two batters to set up a force at each base. Shanti Poston then ripped a walk-off single through the left side to pull off the upset.
Melissa Lerno (10-6) tossed the first shutout against the Lancers in 77 games. Lerno struck out four in the two-hitter.
After going cold in the opener, CBU ripped 13 hits and scored 10 runs in the final four innings of the nightcap.
Four different Lancers had multiple hits, while three different Lancers drove in multiple runs. Nikki Lowe, Erin Moore and Allison Dennis all went 2-for-4, while Sarah Hurlbut went 2-for-3. Nicole Shoemaker went 1-for-2 with three RBIs, and Briana Corral and Erin Moore each drove in a pair of runs as well.
Melanie Ahumada (22-2) picked up the win, throwing a complete game shutout. Ahumada went the full seven innings, walking just two and striking out four.
The Lancers didn't get on the board until the top of the fourth when Shoemaker sacrificed home Lowe, who led off the inning with a double, from third to give CBU a 1-0 lead.
CBU unloaded in the sixth, scoring six runs with two outs. After two straight ground outs to start the inning, the Lancers ripped six straight hits, four of which were for extra bases. Lowe started the two-out barrage with a triple to right center. Moore and Reeves followed with back-to-back doubles to put CBU up 3-0. A pair of singles from Hurlbut and Dennis put the Lancers up 4-0. Corral cleared the bases with a triple that gave CBU a 6-0 lead. Kelly Maconachy capped the run off driving in Corral by forcing an error by the Cougars' third baseman.
The Lancers added three more insurance runs in the seventh to secure the win.
CBU will return to Golden State Athletic Conference play, Tuesday, when it hosts Vanguard for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. With one win the Lancers can guarantee at least a tie for their fifth straight GSAC title and with two wins they can claim it outright.
