California Baptist University
San Francisco State University
Hot and Cold
4/5/2014 3:45:00 AM | Softball
TURLOCK, Calif. --- As the No. 2 team in NCAA Division II, teams are bound to bring their best efforts to the diamond so there's no room for slack. California Baptist University opened the first day of the Tournament of Champions, hosted by Mizuno, with a 1-2 showing, facing some tough defensive opposition.
The Lancers first dropped a 3-0 upset to San Francisco State in the opening game, but bounced back to defeat Cal State San Bernardino 7-5. To conclude the day, the Lancers fell to UC San Diego, 4-1.
CBU now sits 33-9 on the season. The Gators stand 12-25 overall, CSUSB is now 21-17 on the season and UCSD improves to 24-7 overall.
The Lancers started the day on an unfamiliar note, only registering three hits in their first game of the day. London Miller, Marshean August and Krista Mann each knocked singles in the game against SF State, but it wasn't enough to produce any runs as CBU left seven runners stranded in the 3-0 defeat.
CBU shook off the upset and didn't let it damper the day, turning around to come from behind and beat CSUSB. Despite giving up two early runs in the top of the first, Savannah Miller sliced the scoreless streak by blasting a three-run homer to put the Lancers in front 3-2 over CSUSB.
The Coyotes took the lead 4-3 in the top of the second on three hits, but the Lancers evened it up at 4-4 off a double from Jordan Mowatt in the bottom half of the inning. CBU took back control of the lead off another Miller home run, this time from London Miller in the third.
Jacque Lopez tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on a passed ball to put her squad up 6-4.
CSUSB responded again in the fifth, London Miller grabbed another RBI in the sixth after singling up the middle to score Mann.
Back in front by two, CBU took down the first two Coyotes in order in the top of the seventh, but CSUSB stayed alive off back-to-back singles. Mowatt brushed off the scare by grabbing a fly ball to left to secure the 7-5 Lancers victory.
In its third game of the day, CBU faced fellow ranked foe, No. 20 UC San Diego. The Tritons took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning and kept the Lancers to just one hit for three innings.
CBU scored its only run of the game in the fifth inning off a Savannah Miller RBI single. Lopez and Mowatt also had singles in the inning, while Rachel Meyer drew a leadoff walk. Two runners were thrown out at home in the inning the last ending the inning.
CBU continues Tournament of Champions action tomorrow with two games, beginning with another ranked opponent, No. 15 Cal State Monterey Bay at 1:15 p.m. The Lancers conclude with Sonoma State at 3:45 p.m.
