California Baptist University
University of Mobile (Ala.)
IM "MOBILE" IZED
5/19/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
DECATUR, Ala. ? California Baptist's offense never came alive in the second round game of the winner's bracket at the 2008 NAIA Softball National Championship. The 3-2 loss to No. 4 Mobile (Ala.) runs the Lancer's record to 0-4 in the second round game in the winner's bracket. Since pool play began in 2005, California Baptist has never won two straight games to open bracket play.
The Lancers (59-7) mustered four hits, three of which came from Chantal Millard who provided almost all of what offense CBU had. Millard went 3-for-3 and had the only RBI. Karina Slauenwhite posted the only other hit for the Lancers while Courtney Weber and Kelly Maconachy scored both runs for CBU.
Melanie Ahumada (28-3) tossed six innings and allowed just two earned runs on three hits, but walked five and hit one batter.
Just about every time that California Baptist put a ball in play, it found its way into one of the Lady Rams' gloves. The Lancers only had one inning where more than four batters came to the plate and that was in the fifth. Slauenwhite started the rally for the Lancers when she singled with one out and Maconachy reached with a two out walk. Sara Goforth then hit a ground ball that was misplayed at third by Anadys Suarez and allowed Weber, who ran for Slauenwhite, to score from second. Millard then drove home Maconachy from third with a single through the right side to make it 3-2, but the Lancers could not push any more across the plate from that point on.
Mobile took advantage of an early error by Erin Moore that allowed Abby Campbell to reach first. Campbell eventually came around to score on a sac fly to center and CBU really never recovered from there. The Lady Rams added two more in the bottom of the fourth. After Christina Rodriguez belted a solo shot to left field, Jineth Pimentel, who walked, came around to score on a double to right center that was roped by Yaicey Sojo. That was all the run support Ginger Reeser (22-2) needed as she went the complete seven innings allowing just two runs, none of which were earned, on four hits.
It was the second win for Reeser over the Lancers and the second loss for Ahumada against the Lady Rams.
California Baptist will now have to win out to capture its first national title. The Lancers will play Dickinson State, Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. If CBU wins it will play the winner of Point Loma Nazarene and St. Gregory's at 5:30 p.m.
Lubbock Christian and Mobile control their own destiny as they won both games of bracket play. Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) and Simon Fraser (B.C.) ended their seasons after dropping both games in bracket play.
