California Baptist University
Felician University
Getting Offensive
3/7/2012 4:52:00 AM | Softball
CBU opened the day with an 11-3 victory over the Golden Falcons, scoring seven runs in the third inning and then used a seven run fourth in the nightcap to win 9-1.
The two non-conference wins move the Lancers to 18-3 overall and drop Felician to 0-10.
"This was a great game to get our confidence on offense going," said Head Coach Bill Baber. "A few girls broke out of some slumps tonight. We just had a lot of hits and not just the home runs. We focused on just getting on base and driving the ball, and that translated into some big wins."
The Lancers scored 20 runs on 23 hits in the doubleheader.
Making her fourth start of the season, Shawnna Martinez got things going in third for CBU as the Lancers trailed 2-0 when she led off with a single up the middle. CBU had just one hit prior to Martinez's single.
From there the flood gates opened.
CBU posted six hits and Felician committed one error as the Lancers went up 7-2. Sloan McHann and Kailey Willingham each hit two-run homers in the inning.
The Falcons capitalized on a pair of Emma Holden mistakes, taking the Lancers' started deep twice to score their three runs.
Carissa Trujillo smacked a two-run shot to right-center in the first inning to put Felician up 2-0, but the falcons could not match the Lancers' firepower over the course of the game.
Holden moves to 9-2 with the win, throwing five innings and giving up four hits. She struck out eight batters.
It was the Lancers that took a 2-0 lead in the late game, going up in the third on an error and bases loaded walk.
CBU's fourth inning explosion was propelled by a trio of home runs as Mara Rodriguez, Kendall Gorham and Martinez all went deep. It was Martinez's first collegiate home run as the freshman 3-for-5 on the day with two RBI and two runs scored.
"Shawnna has come a long way in a short period of time," said Baber. "She's filling in at second base right now and that's not her natural position. She has been working so hard on her swing and it's paying off right now."
Tory Ferreira took a no-hitter into the fourth, eventually surrendering a pair of hits. Ferreira struck out four and didn't walk a single batter, moving to 9-1 on the season.
Danae Leiser went 1-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap.
"We're heading in the right direction now," said Baber. "We have a tough road stretch coming up and we need to be rested, but we also want to keep this momentum going. We're in a good place right now, we just need to stay focused because six doubleheaders in eight days is no easy task."
The Lancers travel to Northern California next week, starting their road trip at Sonoma State on March 13.
