California Baptist University
UC San Diego
Split Second
2/6/2014 5:14:00 AM | Softball
LA JOLLA, Calif. --- Hitting the road for the first time, California Baptist University faced its second ranked opponent Wednesday afternoon. The Lancers fell short in a defensive battle, dropping the first game 2-1 to No. 21 UC San Diego, but bounced back to grab a 7-4 win in game two.
With the split, the Lancers stand 3-1 on the season while the Tritons hold a 5-1 record.
Rachel Meyer led the Lancers with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate, scoring one run and one RBI. Marshean August scored two runs on the day, including her second homer of the season.
Scoreless through the first five innings, CBU broke the streak in the top of the sixth. August blasted a home run over the left-field fence to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead.
UCSD responded in the bottom half of the inning, however, taking over the lead after a one-out double scored two runners. The Tritons looked to add more to their tally as they put runners on second and third, but Jordan Mowatt caught a line drive to end the inning without further damage.
Needing to score one to keep the game alive, CBU came up empty handed in the top of the seventh to drop the first game 2-1.
Shaking off the first game, CBU exploded in the opening inning of the nightcap, plating four runs to take an early lead. With one out and runners on first and second, Meyer doubled to center, scoring August from second.
Kailey Willingham followed with an RBI single, again to center, scoring Savannah Miller. CBU proceeded to load up the bases before London Miller knocked a hard-hit double to left center, giving the runners on second and third the green light to make it home and put the Lancers up 4-0.
UCSD answered in the bottom of the second with a home run to center, but CBU struck again in the next half inning. Ashley DeVaere, who had made her way to third, scored on a wild pitch to put the Lancers back up by four. With two outs, August grabbed another RBI on the day, doubling to left center to score London Miller.
After the Tritons scored in the fourth, the Lancers added another run in the top of the fifth. Krista Mann batted in Mowatt from second with two outs, giving CBU a 7-2 cushion.
The Lancers held off the Tritons, despite UCSD trying to rally in the bottom of the seventh and scoring two runs. It wasn't enough to overcome the Lancers' margin, however, as the visitors grabbed game two with a 7-4 score.
CBU remains on the road, traveling to the Desert Stinger Tournament, hosted by Montana State-Billings, for games Friday and Saturday. CBU opens the tournament Friday morning at 11:30 a.m., taking on Western Oregon.
