California Baptist University
Grand View University
TWICE AS NICE
2/28/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? It's not often you have two perfect games in one season, but how about two in just a little over a week. Melanie Ahumada, who opened the 2009 season with a combined no-hitter, tossed the second perfect game in eight days for CBU, throwing the complete five innings and striking out six.
“I don't know that I have ever seen two perfect games in that short of time span,” said CBU head coach Mike Smith. “What can you say about our pitching staff? We have four number ones. It's hard as a coach on who's going to do what, where and when. The staff as a whole did a great job this weekend.”
The Lancers (16-0) complete the four-game sweep with a 15-0 win in the opener and a 3-0 win in the nightcap over Grand View (Iowa).
“We helped out Mel on the defensive end as well by making plays,” said Smith. “We were kept on our toes today. In the fall and early this semester we spent a lot of time on defense and these girls have responded by playing 16 great ball games to open the season.”
Sarah Strong led the way for CBU in the opener, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Nina Cabrales was also perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
CBU got the board first when Erin Moore scored from third on a single up the middle from Sarah Strong. Moore reached base when she hit a deep fly ball to right field that was dropped and Moore raced to third.
The Lancers added eight more in the fourth to take a 9-0 lead. Sarah Hurlbut drew a lead off walk before Briana Corral singled up the middle. Ashley Boyd then laced a ball to right to score Hurlbut from third and Nikki Lowe cleared the bases with a three-run shot to left field. Moore then drew a walk while Strong and Cabrales both singled to load the bases. Tina Galinato then drew a walk to give CBU a 5-0 lead. Hurlbut then lifted a sac fly to right to score Strong from third before Cabrales and Galinato scored on a Vikings' error.
CBU added two more in the third and four more in the fourth to close it out.
After outscoring Grand View 31-0 in the first three games of the series, the final game was a dogfight from beginning to end.
In the nightcap CBU jumped out 1-0 in the first when Boyd scored on a Moore single. The Lancers didn't score again until the sixth when Cabrales was driven in with a double to left center by Shoemaker before Shoemaker scored on a single to right center by Corral.
That was all the run support Kendall Gorham (2-0) needed in the circle. The freshman tossed the complete game, allowing no runs on two hits and she struck out eight.
“Kendall actually wasn't at her best physically today because she was battling a cold,” said Smith. “She told me she was good to go and I handed the ball over to her. We told her that if she got in trouble we would have people ready to go. It was the first time we went seven innings in a while. We're seeing some great stuff from her and I am really excited.”
