California Baptist University
Point Loma
A DAY AT THE OFFICE
5/6/2008 7:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? California Baptist is just one win away from its fourth straight NAIA Region II title after opening the tournament with a 2-0 win over Cal State San Marcos and closing with a 5-2 victory over Point Loma Nazarene.
The Lancers (53-5) are now in the driver's seat and will have to lose twice for any team to steal the regional crown.
It was starting to look a little like déjà vu in the opener for California Baptist as the Lancers and Cougars went scoreless for the first five and half innings of play. Just a couple of weeks ago San Marcos outlasted CBU in a 1-0, nine-inning affair, but this time it was the Lancers who struck first in the bottom of the sixth.
Nikki Lowe and Sarah Hurlbut provided all the offense needed to slide by the Cougars with a pair of solo shots to left center. Lowe, who had not hit a home run since March 19, led off the inning with her third home run of the year. After two outs, Hurlbut followed Lowe with a home run that was golfed out of the park.
Melanie Ahumada (25-2) tossed the first six innings, allowing just four hits while fanning three before turning it over to Amy Thomas who picked up her fifth save of the year.
It was scoring by committee in the final game of the day as three Lancers had multiple hits, four scored runs and all five RBIs were from different people.
The Lancers struck first in the bottom of the second when Moore blasted her team-high 10th home run over the centerfield wall just before Hurlbut hit her second homer of the day and ninth overall. CBU added three more in the third as Hurlbut and Reeves scored on back-to-back singles by Corral and Maconachy before Goforth drove in Forester, who ran for Corral, with a single to center.
Point Loma tried to rally in the top of the sixth scoring a pair of runs, but those were the only runs Thomas (28-3) allowed as she tossed the complete game and scattered eight hits.
The Lancers will now wait to play the winner of Biola and Point Loma at 2:30 p.m. The Eagles and Sea Lions kick the day off at noon for the right to play the Lancers for the regional title.
