California Baptist University
Cal State San Bernardino
Right On Schedule
2/4/2012 2:23:00 AM | Softball
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. --- For the third straight year California Baptist University had Cal State San Bernardino on the schedule to open the season and for the third straight year CBU started the season 2-0 with a pair of wins at Coyote Park Friday afternoon.
Even with a new look in the dugout and facing the first season of NCAA Division II and PacWest play, the Lancers showed they know how to win, taking down the Coyotes 6-2, 6-1.
On a windy day in San Bernardino, the Lancers got key hits from Andie Banuelos and Tina Galinato to spark the offense in both games and break open tight contests.
"We said from day one, we don't care what the weather is or anything else, we're going to come out here and work hard and they did that," said CBU Head Coach Bill Baber, who begins his first season at the helm for the Lancers after serving as assistant coach under Mike Smith for the past eight years. "We got great pitching as always, and the girls made sure to put it in play when we needed them to. We talked about focusing on line drives and just putting the ball in play before the game and it worked out."
CBU fell behind 2-1 in the opener after Emma Holden was called for a pair of illegal pitches with a runner on third base.
In the top of the fourth, with April Vasquez on first base, Banuelos drove a ball into right center field for a double, scoring Vasquez and evening the game at 2-2. CBU would tack on two more runs in the inning, with Banuelos scoring on a pass ball and Mara Rodriguez dumping an RBI single into center field.
"Andie's hit really sparked us because we looked a little cold before that. People don't expect it, but she can drive the ball," said Baber. "Then Tina came up with a big pinch hit at bat in that second game that really put it away. They were key."
The Lancers held a slim 2-1 lead heading into the fourth in the nightcap, when Banuelos again went to work. CBU's junior second baseman tripled to deep left-center and then scored on an error as part of a two run inning.
Galinato entered the game in the fifth as a pinch hitter and with runners on second and third she drove the ball up the middle to score a pair of runs, putting CBU ahead by the final score of 6-1.
The teams would play just one more inning as the game was called for darkness after the sixth.
Banuelos was 3-for-7 on the day, with an RBI and two runs scored. Galinato went 2-for-5 at the plate, with two RBI and one run scored. Marshean August was also 2-for-3 in the opener, with an RBI and Kendall Gorham had two hits in two official at-bats in the late game, drawing two walks, and driving in and scoring a run.
In the circle for the Lancers, senior starters Holden and Tory Ferreira did what CBU fans have become very accustomed to seeing, throwing back-to-back solid ball games.
Holden threw seven innings, giving up one earned run and four hits. CBU's all-time strikeout leader fanned six batters.
Ferreira threw all six innings of the second game, allowing just three hits and one earned run.
"The defense was great as well," said Baber. "With this wind it makes every ball hit in the air that much more difficult and the girls did an excellent job in the field today. We did all the things necessary to win early in the season and on a day like this, and that was great to see in our first games."
The Lancers have a week off before they are back in action again, traveling to Las Vegas for the Desert Stinger Invitational next Friday and Saturday.
