California Baptist University
Simpson University (Calif.)
OFFENSIVE ONLAUGHT
2/19/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? Of the uncertainty to start the 2009 season, one thing is now for sure; California Baptist University can swing the bats. The Lancers (6-0) scored 17 runs on 23 hits in pair of wins in the opening day of the Ringor SoCal Smash.
CBU knocked off Simpson, 8-0, before handing No. 21 Cal State San Marcos a 9-1 loss.
Ashley Boyd led the Lancers, going 6-for-8 on the day with four RBIs and four runs scored. She hit her second home run of the year and ripped three doubles on the day.
In the opener, Kendall Gorham was one hit batsmen away from a perfect game. The freshman threw six complete innings and struck out six, but had a controversial call spoil the perfect game. In the second inning on a 2-2 count on Simpson's Corinne Alexander, Gorham threw an inside pitch that the home plate umpire said hit Alexander on the hand.
CBU head coach Mike Smith questioned whether it actually hit the bat which would have been a foul ball. The call was held up as a hit by pitch by the umpire. It was Gorham's first win of the year.
The Lancers scored five runs in the first three innings against Simpson. Nikki Lowe got the ball rolling when she ripped a two-run blast to left field in the bottom of the first. Then in the second, Briana Corral drove in Tina Galinato with a two-out single. CBU added two more in the third when Nina Cabrales singled to score Erin Moore before Cabrales scored on Galinato single up the middle.
CBU added two more in the fifth when Galinato ripped a two-RBI single to put the Lancers up 7-0 before Nicole Shoemaker doubled to right center in the sixth to score Caty Reeves to pick up the run rule.
In the second game, Boyd was just a triple short of the cycle with a home run, two doubles and a single, going 4-for-4.
Cal State San Marcos led the Lancers longer than any body has this year as it held a 1-0 lead over CBU for the first two innings. The Lancers got on the board first in the bottom of the third when Strong ripped a two-out double to score Boyd before Shoemaker singled up the middle to score Strong.
CBU added two more in the fourth when Boyd doubled to score Corral before Lowe's single drove home Boyd.
The Lancers added five more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to score the run-rule.
CBU will take on Simpson at 1 p.m. and College of Idaho at 3 p.m. Friday.
