California Baptist University
Concordia
LOMA LET DOWN
3/17/2009 7:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? Coming off the two best wins of the season over No. 2 Point Loma Nazarene, California Baptist University faulted in a split with No. 11 Concordia, winning 3-2 in the opener before falling 3-0 in the nightcap.
Nikki Lowe was the only Lancer (24-2, 8-2 GSAC) to have multiple hits, going 4-for-6 in the doubleheader.
Concordia jumped on the board first in the top of the first when Carly Smith drove home Katie Carson from third to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Carson reached third when she drove a ball to right field that went between the legs of Tina Galinato, allowing Carson to nab two extra bases.
The Eagles added another run in the third with two outs. Alicia Lucatero was hit by a pitch before Carly Smith drew a walk. Lizette Fernandez then drove home Lucatero with a single to right to put Concordia up 2-0.
The Lancers answered in the fifth with two runs to knot the game at 2-2. Caty Reeves drew a lead off walk before Nina Cabrales doubled down the left field line to score Galinato, who came on to run for Reeves. Cabrales then scored from third on a sac fly to center by Sarah Hurlbut.
CBU had a chance to win the game in the seventh when Hurlbut singled with two outs, but Katie Carson snagged a line drive from Briana Corral to force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Lucatero sacrificed Jennifer Simons to third, but she was left stranded after the Lancers recorded back-to-back outs. Megan Silva started on second in the bottom half of the inning and was moved to third when an illegal pitch was called on Rachel Reekstin. Ashley Boyd then drove home the winning run when she hit a sac fly to center to score Silva.
Emma Holden (4-0) picked up the win after she threw the final four innings. Holden did not allow a hit and struck out four after she came on to relieve Tory Ferreira who threw the first four innings. Ferreira allowed two runs on five hits.
Concordia opened the nightcap the way it opened the first game. The Eagles scored a run each in the top of the first and second innings. Carson doubled to lead off the game and was moved to third with a sac bunt. She scored on a sac fly to right by Lucatero before Lizette Fernandez mirrored Carson with a lead off double to start the second and then scored on an Ashlee Leon single.
The Eagles added another run in the fourth when Fernandez hit a solo home run to left to give Concordia a 3-0 lead. That was all the Laura Wiens needed as she tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out six and scattering five hits.
Lowe went 3-for-3 and was one of only three Lancers to get hits as Boyd and Megan Silva each had a hit.
Melanie Ahumada (8-2) took the loss, throwing the first four innings. Ahumada allowed all three runs on four hits before handing it over to Ferreira, who threw one inning, and Kendall Gorham, who threw the final two innings.
The Lancers return to the field tomorrow when they host North Dakota for a doubleheader.
