Seniors Shine in Season Finale

Saturday, May 4

Seattle

2:00 PM

California Baptist University

21-30, 8-10

Seattle

36-15, 15-3

California Baptist

Seattle University

Photo by: Mike Minyard

Seniors Shine in Season Finale

5/4/2019 5:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Mike Minyard, Assoc. AD for External Relations

SEATTLE – California Baptist University's inaugural season as an NCAA Division I member ended in heartbreaking fashion, with an eight-inning 4-3 loss to the 2019 Western Athletic Conference regular season champion Seattle U on Saturday afternoon.

The Lancers scored a pair of runs in the first inning. Junior Brittany Galvez hit a first-pitch double followed by an infield single by senior Anise Avalos that was hit deep in the hole to the left of Redhawk shortstop Breanna Timmons. With runners on first and second, senior Halle Rosario hit a chopper to shortstop. Galvez was tagged out while trying to advance to third on the play, but Rosario reached base safely as Avalos advanced to third on an errant throw to first. Senior Cheyann Tucker hit a hard ground ball up the middle for a two-out single that scored Avalos.

Cheyann Tucker puts the Lancers on the scoreboard first!#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/y6pC9gggA5
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 4, 2019

With Tucker and Rosario on first and second, respectively, freshman Molly Kolander popped up to Seattle pitcher Andie Larkin. The ball was misplayed by Larkin and allowed Kolander to reach safely, while Rosario scored on the play to give the Lancers a 2-0 advantage.

Lancers take a 2⃣-0⃣ lead‼️#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/Q266L1eoCJ
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 4, 2019

Seattle scored a run in three consecutive innings, taking a 3-2 lead on a solo shot home run by Bailey Thompson in the bottom half of the fifth. Tucker led the sixth inning off with a walk, with junior Alley Johnson coming in to pinch run. Johnson advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kolander. Freshman Amanda Argomaniz grounded out to shortstop, allowing Johnson to move over to third on the throw. Senior Sophia Perea tied the game with a two-out single to left that scored Johnson to tie the game.

CLUTCH‼️

Sophia Perea comes up with a huge RBI single to score Alley Johnson! We're tied 3-3 as we head into the 7th inning.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/RDo6qTPFw8
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 4, 2019

CBU senior pitcher Kellye Springstead held Seattle scoreless in the sixth and seventh to help push the game into extras. Springstead threw her 25^th complete game of the season, striking out five while allowing four runs on eight hits and four walks. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Timmons hit a leadoff double to become the eventual game-winning run. Emma Mitchell singled to right field in the next at-bat with the ball taking an odd bounce as it struck the field, allowing Timmons to come around the bases to score. Despite the loss, Springstead finished the season with a WAC-best 18 wins. She also finished second in the league with 152 strikeouts.

The Lancers completed the season at 21-33 overall and 8-10 in the WAC for a fourth-place finish in the seven-team league standings despite facing adversity throughout the year with significant injuries. In January, CBU was picked to tie for fifth with UMKC in the WAC preseason coaches' poll. The Lancers exceeded those expectations, finishing in the standings behind Seattle, the regular season champion, Grand Canyon and the defending WAC champion New Mexico State. Seattle will head to the upcoming WAC Tournament as the top seed after completing the regular season with a 36-15 overall record and 15-3 conference mark.