Lancers Sweep Day Two in Mexico

Friday, February 14

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

8:00 AM

California Baptist University

3-4

Colorado State

4-4

Colorado State

California Baptist

Photo by: Owen Yancher/Davis Enterprise

Lancers Sweep Day Two in Mexico

2/14/2020 1:50:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

PUERTO VALLARTA – California Baptist University played a pair of games in sunny Mexico on Friday morning, first taking on the Rams of Colorado State immediately followed by a battle with the Ole Miss Rebels.

The Lancers took the first game against the reigning Mountain West champion Rams, holding off a late CSU rally to win by a score of 4-3. They then took down SEC giant Ole Miss by a score of 4-2 for the program's first win against a Power 5 team. CBU was led through each game by upperclassmen pitching and timely hitting.

GAME 1: CBU 4 – CSU 3

Both teams were looking to rebound from loses on day one, after CBU fell to #6 Texas (4-0) and CSU dropped a pair of games to #12 Tennessee (6-4) and Ole Miss (2-0 in eight innings).

As the visiting team, the Rams went on the offensive first, scoring a pair of runs to take an early lead over the Lancers. CBU would respond in kind, scoring Caitlyn Lloyd on Mackenzie Budinger's first hit of the day, closing out the first inning with the Rams up 2-1.

The Colorado State bats would go quiet after that first inning, with starter Kerisa Viramontes holding the Rams to just one hit over the next four innings. The CBU hitters would not have those same issues.

👀

Kerisa: Can I help you find something?

Batter: No thanKs I'm just looKing...#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/rUJXa1Weg2
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

The Lancers would score three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a lead they would never give back.

Abby Robertson got the scoring going in the fourth, bringing in freshman Katelyn Mangrello on a two-out, infield-pop-up single.

🐏2⃣➖2⃣⚔️

That's a 2-out RBI single from Abby Robertson and the Lancers tie it up in the bottom of the fourth! Sanae Orme goes first to third just sneaking under the tag!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ZEAdhYzWTN
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

Robertson and pinch runner Sanae Orme would later come around to score on the second RBI hit of the game by Budinger, another infield single for the Lancers.

✌️

Mackenzie Budinger collects two more RBI's giving the Lancers a 4-2 lead going into the top of the fifth inning!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/n93XboL7tX
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

The Rams would cut the lead in half, plating a run in the top of the sixth, but Viramontes would strikeout the next two batters to squash the remaining threat.

In the top of the seventh, the Rams managed back-to-back baserunners on Viramontes for the first time all day on a pair of singles. The Lancers called time and talked it over with Viramontes, and with no pitchers working in the bullpen, the Lancers placed their faith left in the hands of the senior transfer.

It took seven pitches in the next at-bat, but Viramontes sealed the victory getting the CSU batter to chase a pitch for the final out, a swinging strikeout, the seventh of the game for Viramontes, who now sits at 2-2 on the season with 20 strikeouts.

⚔️4⃣➖3⃣🐏

FINAL‼️ CBU defeats the defending Mountain West Champions Colorado State behind a complete game, 7⃣ strikeout showing from Kerisa Viramontes!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Drcpydb39w
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

GAME 2: CBU 4 – OM 2

Ole Miss came into the season ranked as the #25 team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's preseason rankings, but stumbled out of the blocks, going 0-5 before obtaining their first win in Mexico against Colorado State on Thursday.

Despite their record, the Rebels still possessed a lineup to fear, but Lancers starting pitcher Giana Lopez didn't get the message. Lopez threw seven strong innings, holding the Rebels to just one hit after the second inning, leading to her first win of 2020.

Another 1⃣➖2⃣➖3⃣ inning for the Lancers capped by the loooooooong throw for the third out! CBU will look to add a few insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/OWqCqXxf8H
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

The Lancers fell behind early as the Rebels used a walk and two singles in the top of the second inning to push two runs across the plate, but that's all they would manage on the day.

CBU immediately retaliated with four runs in the bottom of the second inning, combining timely hitting with a pair of Rebel errors to take the 4-2 lead. The Rebels would attempt to get back on the scoring side of things, but only managed one hit and a single baserunner as far as second base in the final five innings.

The Lancers scored those four runs and locked down defensively. Lopez largely controlled the action, forcing the Rebels into 19 outs by way of ground-outs or fly-outs. The defense didn't need to make a lot of plays, but they came up big when the challenges arose.

Freshman Katelyn Mangrello is having a dream start to her collegiate career on both sides of the plate. She scored two of the Lancers four runs on the day and has been splitting time behind the plate so far this season, but plays like this may earn her a more permanent starting job.

🥎🤩

"FOR THE LOVE OF GLOVE!"

The freshman catcher Katelyn Mangrello is pretty good...😏#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/uVr9wgCE54
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

Budinger continued her offensive onslaught, going 3-4 on the day with a run scored and adding three RBI to her team leading total of nine.

Abby Robertson has shifted between shortstop and second base this season, but she made it clear today that as long as she is in the lineup, she will make plays.

🦈

FULL STRETCH ON THE RUN! Abby Robertson makes defense look easy!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/xY3nUFJq9c
— CBU Softball (@CBUSoftball) February 14, 2020

The wins today got the Lancers back to .500 on the season, now sitting at 4-4. They did so by defeating a team who won their conference championship and an SEC team, both of whom made it to the NCAA Tournament last year and won games in the process.

The Lancers will wrap up their Puerto Vallarta College Challenge tournament run tomorrow morning when they face off with #12 Tennessee at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time.