California Baptist University
Cal State San Bernardino
On Their Game
2/27/2013 7:10:00 AM | Softball
All facets of the Lancers' game were on display, as CBU took the opener 1-0 and then slugged their way to a 7-4 victory in the nightcap.
"I thought our defense was fantastic today," said CBU Head Coach Bill Baber, whose team's costly errors led to a 1-3 record last week. "Our pitchers threw great and we backed them up. We knew what we were doing and where we were supposed to be, and then made great throws when we got the ball. It was a great all-around effort."
Jessica Avila shut the Coyotes down in the opener, tossing a complete game, three-hit shutout for her third win of the season. Avila allowed just one walk in the game and had three strikeouts.
Clinging to that one-run lead in the seventh inning, it was the CBU defense that made the crucial play. Britney Butler led off the inning for CSUSB, smacking a ball off the fence in left center, but Marshean August played the ball on one hop off the wall and fired a strike to second base to nail Butler. The stellar defensive play turned what would have been a runner in scoring position with no outs into the first out of the inning.
Avila would get the final two batters to ground out and end the game.
CBU's lone run came in the first inning when Mara Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch.
"Jessica picked up where she left off today, throwing another great ball game," said Baber. "All of our pitchers are improving and she's really pitching well for us right now. Danae Leiser had a fantastic game as well. Every time you looked up she was snagging a ball at third base and making a play."
In the late game it was the long ball that did the trick for the Lancers as CBU blasted three homers in the win.
CBU was down 2-1 heading into the third when Sloan McHann hit a three-run shot to put the Lancers up for good. It was McHann's second of the year.
Rodriguez and Rachel Meyer would follow with back-to-back shots in the fourth.
Kayla Hatch got the win, throwing four innings, giving up four hits and two runs to move to 2-1 on the season. Avila came in to finish the game off as CSUSB loaded up the bases in the seventh, inducing a ground ball to Leiser at third, who touched the bag for the third and final out.
McHann led the Lancers in the late game, going 2 for 3 with four RBI and a run scored.
The wins move CBU to 7-6 on the season and drop the Coyotes to 7-11.
