RIVERSIDE – The Lancers rain-postponed doubleheader against Long Beach State was worth the wait as the Lancers walked off game one, winning 2-1, and followed that up with another walk-off win, this time by a score of 5-4 in the nightcap.
Kerisa Viramontes earned both wins for the Lancers on the day tossing nine innings of four-hit ball and allowing just one earned run on the night.
The Lancers record improves to 9-14 having won four of the last five games, while Long Beach drops to 4-4 in its young season.
GAME ONE
Long Beach and California Baptist were locked in a scoreless pitchers dual until the top of the sixth when the Beach finally broke through with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead. They wouldn't be ahead long as Mangrello would put one over the fence herself in the bottom of the inning to tie things again.
Pitching wasn't the only thing keeping this one close and starting left fielder
Molly Kolander made a spectacular diving catch in the top of the fifth to end the inning and keep the score level.
LBSU would threaten in the top of the seventh with a runner at second and one out but CBU starting pitcher
Kerisa Viramontes would force two easy groundouts to get into the final frame still tied. The bottom of the seventh would open with Maile Olson working a 10-pitch walk and get moved over to second on a pinch hit single by
Tiana Patrick. The game would end as
Mia Alvarez connected on an infield hit that the Beach second baseman couldn't handle, plating Olson for the game-winning run.
Viramontes would earn the win as she tossed her seventh complete game of the season, allowing just one earned on three hits.
GAME TWO
Scoring in the nightcap was much more spread out. The Lancers jumped to a quick 3-0 lead after a long Mangrello single in the first brought in
Makayla Jordan from second and a second inning, two-run bomb from
Amanda Argomaniz plated
Tiana Patrick and put the Lancers up three-love.
Between the offensive highlights, center fielder
Ashley McBay added to her 2021 defensive highlight reel by stealing on extra-base hit with a leaping effort into the wall.
The Beach would go on to score the next four runs over the course of the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings, giving them a 4-3 lead and daring the Lancers to try to walk-off two games in a row. CBU met that challenge as timely hits got the Lancers into position and defensive issues continued to cost Long Beach State.
California Baptist would score its first run of the seventh on a fielders choice as the Beach pitcher attempted to nullify the threat by going home instead of the easy out at first, but her toss to the catcher was high and late, allowing pinch runner
Michaila Harrington to score the tying run. Not long after,
Samantha Demyon, who reached on a throwing error earlier in the inning, would score the game-winning run when Jordan laced a hit to center field that would smack into the palm of the fielders gloves and drop out, sealing the victory for CBU.
Gretchen Goldsmith would start the game for the Lancers, looking strong through five innings, allowing five hits and two earned, but a leadoff homer in the sixth would be her final pitch. Goldsmith would ultimately end up with a no decision on the night. Viramontes would come into a tie game and eventually earn the win for the Lancers, her seventh of the year, on two innings of work with one hit and no earned runs allowed.
WHAT'S NEXT
CBU travels back up north for a pair of doubleheaders against Pacific and Saint Mary's this Thursday and Friday, respectively. The Pacific series is scheduled for 12 and 2:30 p.m. game times while Saint Mary's will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the finale at 3:30 p.m.
