Déjà vu in CBU Sweep

Thursday, March 8

Riverside, Calif.

5:00 PM

California Baptist University

14-3, 7-0

Holy Names

1-11, 1-4

Holy Names

California Baptist

Photo by: Conner Schuh

3/8/2018 9:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Déjà vu swept over John C. Funk Stadium on Thursday when California Baptist University hosted Holy Names, as the Lancers no-hit and out slugged the Hawks to keep a perfect PacWest record intact.

The Lancers posted wins on scores of 9-0 in the opener and 10-0 in the doubleheader finale. CBU improved to 15-3, 8-0 in the conference and HNU slid to 1-12, 1-5. The Lancers conclude their 10-game home stand when they host Saint Thomas of Florida on Saturday for a noon doubleheader.

Holy Names managed just one hit in both games Thursday, as the Lancers recorded their third shutout in the last five games. Kellye Springstead threw the no-hitter in game one. She carved up Holy Names' batters, with just two walks separating her from a perfect game one in the circle. The Lancer pitcher struck out nine over five innings to record her seventh win of the season.

"This one was unexpected, you never expect to throw a no-hitter. I really enjoyed being out there and having my team behind me," Springstead said. "I'm just really feeling the ball out of my hand, it's moving a lot and spinning a lot. I have a great defense behind me, so it's all working together right now."

Ciara Stapp held the Hawks to just one walk and one hit in Thursday's nightcap. The sophomore pitcher retired HNU in order in the first, second and third innings.

CBU stayed hot offensively, too, and hit three home runs for the third game in a row in Thursday's opener. The Lancers wasted little time and took a 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning. Caitlyn Lloyd and Cheyann Tucker walked and singled to give the Lancers two runners with no outs in the bottom of the first. Hannah Thieroff homered to left center to give CBU a 3-0 lead, while Manoa Weijgertse singled with two outs and then scored on a Halle Rosario double.

"They are out here all the time putting in extra work," Springstead said of her offense. "They put in so many cuts just so they're ready for that one at-bat and they're stringing them together. It's great as a pitcher because you know you're never going to be behind."

The Lancers were kept off the scoreboard in the second, but momentum built up by Springstead in the circle spread to her offense. The junior pitcher struck out the side in the third inning for seven-straight punch outs and eight against her first 10 batters.

"My rise ball was definitely working and was something they were chasing," Springstead said. "They couldn't get to my curveball, either, it felt really good coming out of my hand."

Thieroff drew a walk to start the bottom of the third and Ali Subia homered to left center. A walk to Weijgertse and Rosario single then led to a three-run, opposite field homer from Lloyd to make it 9-0 at the end of the third.

Holy Names limited Springstead's strikeouts by bunting in just about every at-bat from the fourth inning on. Even so, Springstread's nine strikeouts in five innings were just two off her career high for a single game. Rosario also led CBU's offense with two hits in the opener.

In game two, Stapp took a perfect game into the fourth inning, but the Hawks drew a one-out walk to end it. The Lancers' offense took what Holy Names gave them and capitalized on 11 HNU walks.

Lloyd drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first and scored after a sacrifice bunt from Tucker and RBI double from Shahbazian. Two more walks loaded the bases and a walk to Rosario gave CBU a 2-0 lead at the end of the first.

Without the benefit of a hit, CBU scored four more times in the second. There was an error and six walks in the inning, with Subia, Weijgertse, Rosario and Anise Avalos all drawing bases-loaded free passes for RBIs and a 6-0 lead at the end of two.

CBU scored four more in the fourth inning to secure the 10-0, five-inning win. Subia led off the inning with a double and Weijgertse was walked to lead into a two-run double from Rosario. An error put runners at the corners and Amanda Springstead single home the ninth run of the game. Shaye Felix capped the scoring an RBI single with two outs.