California Baptist University
Dixie State
In The Clutch
3/4/2012 3:06:00 AM | Softball
CBU opened with a 9-1, five-inning, blowout and then closed the day winning 3-1 to move to 4-2 in the PacWest. In the Lancers' first six conference games they have played the top two teams in the PacWest from last season. CBU is 16-3 overall.
"Today was just and overall great performance," said Head Coach Bill Baber. "We got great pitching and we got the hits when we needed them today. The girls did a great job improving from yesterday and we got two big wins because of it."
For the second straight day the Lancers offense was more than enough in the opening game, exploding for nine runs. It was the second game that was again a nail-biter.
The teams played scoreless through the first three innings, until the Red Storm struck first, scoring a run on a bases loaded single. Tory Ferreira worked her way out of the jam without giving up any more runs, though, getting a line out and a strikeout.
Unlike Friday, the Lancers had an answer.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth Danae Leiser hit a pinch-hit single down the line to score Kendall Gorham and Tina Galinato, putting the Lancers up 2-1.
"Danae came up clutch for us," said Baber. "To do what she did with two outs as a pinch hitter, that was huge. It was exactly what we needed when we needed it."
Lindsay Henry led off the following inning with a home run for CBU and Ferreira made the 3-1 lead stand from there.
Ferreira scattered four hits over seven innings to move to 8-1 on the season.
Emma Holden took the win in the opener, needing to go just five innings as the Lancers mercy-ruled the Red Storm. Holden allowed only one hit and one run to move to 8-2.
"Emma and Tory were great today," said Baber. "Both of them had somewhat of rough outings yesterday, but they bounced back. Shutting down a good team like that is not easy."
April Vasquez highlighted a six-run third inning in the opener with a grand slam to left. Galinato also drove in a pair of runs and scored a pair in the early game.
The two losses drops Dixie State to 6-5 overall, 1-3 PacWest.
