California Baptist University
Chaminade
Jac Attack
3/29/2014 11:38:00 PM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- The No. 2-ranked California Baptist University Lancers grabbed a doubleheader sweep over visiting Chaminade Saturday afternoon, defeating the Silverswords 8-2 and 3-1 to extend its winning streak to 12 games.
"It's great to be on a roll, but we still need to take it 200 feet at a time," said head coach Bill Baber. "That's our motto. We're only looking at what's right in front of us, one hit, one inning, one game at a time."
The Lancers improve to 32-7 on the season and stay on top of the PacWest standings with a 19-5 conference record. With the losses, the Silverswords fall to 7-19 overall and 6-16 in the PacWest.
Jacque Lopez led the Lancers with a perfect 7-for-7 showing at the plate, including a double, and scored two runs while batting in two others.
"She keeps improving every day," said Baber of Lopez. "She had a great week last week and carried it over to today. She's good at finding those holes to put the ball and get on base. She's a tough out."
Fellow infielder Krista Mann followed with a 3-for-4 performance on offense on the day, including a solo home run in the night cap.
"She doesn't let things faze her, good or bad," said Baber of the freshman. "She takes care of business at the plate."
CBU started the first game a little quiet, finding itself in a 2-0 hole after two-and-a-half innings, but Lopez provided the spark the Lancers were looking for. Leading off the bottom of the third, Lopez grabbed the first Lancer hit of the day with a bloop double in the gap behind the third baseman down the left line.
"It's somebody different every time, but there's always one that gets going and sparks everyone else," said Baber. "It's like lighting a match. Today it was Jacque. With her speed, along with Jordan [Mowatt], followed by our power hitters, it puts pressure on the other team's defense."
The Silverswords managed to grab a double play to put two outs on the board, but Lopez was still in dangerous territory on third. Mann gave Lopez the green light home with an RBI single through the right and scored off a Savannah Miller triple to even the game at 2-2.
After taking CUH down in order in the fourth, CBU came back up to bat and added two more runs off three hits and an error, again scoring on a two-out rally. Rachel Meyer blasted her fourth home run of the season over the fence in almost dead center for the go-ahead run. Lopez followed with a base hit and capitalized on a costly Silversword error to give CBU a 4-2 lead after four complete.
Not done scoring, CBU tacked on two more runs each in the bottom halves of the fifth and sixth to hold a healthy 8-2 advantage. With bases loaded in the fifth, Lopez drove in the first run with a single up the middle and Mowatt added another RBI. Ashley DeVaere's single in the sixth scored Miller and Lopez grabbed another RBI single to cap the scoring at 8-2.
Two outs away from the first win, Belinda Renne struck out back-to-back Silverswords before Marshean August teamed up with Lopez to end the game 8-2 in favor of the home squad.
It didn't take CBU three chances in the batter's box to register a hit in the nightcap as August opened the game with a double to left in the bottom of the first. Mann joined her on base with a free ticket to first on ball four and Kailey Willingham sent the pair home on a single down the left line to put CBU in front 2-0.
The Silverswords responded in the top of the fourth, scoring one run off one hit, to cut the Lancers' lead in half at 2-1.
Mann gave CBU an insurance run it was looking for in the fifth, sending the ball sailing over the fence at left center.
The Lancers held on to the 3-1 lead, once again heading into the top of the seventh just needing three outs to secure the victory. Just like her counterpart had done in the first, Kayla Hatch struck out the first two batters and London Miller grabbed the final out with a fly ball to right to end the game.
CBU heads back up North to Turlock, Calif., for the Tournament of Champions, playing five games in two days--all California Collegiate Athletic Association foes. First on the Lancers' plate, another matchup with San Francisco State, followed by Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego, on Friday.
"We're excited to play some good teams up in Turlock, but we need to remember it's a new game," said Baber. "It's nice to have some momentum, but this team has been doing a pretty good job of letting go of the previous game--good or bad--to get ready for the next game."
