Lancers Shutout Aggies’ Potent Offense, Eye Series Win on Senior Day

Friday, May 7

Riverside, Calif.

5 PM

California Baptist University

20-29-1, 7-9

NM State

28-18, 13-3

New Mexico State

California Baptist

Lancers Shutout Aggies’ Potent Offense, Eye Series Win on Senior Day

5/7/2021 10:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE – California Baptist University softball began the final series of its 2021 season by splitting the Friday night doubleheader with New Mexico State. The Lancers dropped game one 10-2 before shutting out the most potent offense in the conference in the nightcap, 2-0.

‼️LANCERS WIN‼️ Ashley McBay scores two runs as Kerisa Viramontes stonewalls the most potent offense in the conference leading to a Lancer win!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/V3pMKbIxmi
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

The split brings the Lancers' record to 21-29-1 overall with an 8-9 league record. New Mexico State now stands at 28-19 and in a tie for first place in the Western Athletic Conference at 13-4, matching Seattle U after the Redhawks also swept Grand Canyon on Friday.

Saturday's games in Riverside and Phoenix will be played simultaneously and hold significant meaning in the final season standings. The Lancers lead the Lopes in the conference as CBU owns one more win than GCU after its series against Tarleton was unable to be completed due to weather. Seattle and New Mexico State are both 13-4 in the conference standings with Seattle U owning the tie-breaker as a result of winning its head-to-head series.

Should both NMSU and Seattle win or both lose tomorrow, they will share the regular season conference title. If CBU and GCU both win, or lose, CBU will take third place by virtue of percentage points. In either scenario, if Seattle/CBU or NMSU/GCU both win, they will claim outright first and third-place finishes respectively.

GAME ONE

The series opener had no lack of scoring as the Aggies jumped out to an 8-0 lead after five innings. In all, New Mexico State would score 10 runs on just seven hits, five of which left the field confirming the well-known presence of power in their lineup.

Deja Westbrook was the difference between an 8-0 run rule shortened game and going the full seven innings as the sophomore left fielder smacked her first career home run in the bottom of the fifth, giving the Lancers new life in the series opener.

WEST💣 Deja crushes her first career homer in the bottom of the fifth to get the Lancers on the scoreboard!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/CEcGA93iT8
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

The Lancers would score run number two in the bottom of the sixth inning after rattling off four-straight singles and a fielder's choice to bring home Ashley McBay. The Lancers would leave the bases loaded after that and leave one more on in the seventh to end the game.

Gretchen Goldsmith got the game one start and teamed up with reliever Giana Lopez to strike out seven while allowing seven earned runs on seven hits.

GAME TWO

The second game saw CBU ace Kerisa Viramontes throw a gem of a game in one of the most spectacular defensive duels this season. Viramontes was handing out strikeouts early and often, including arguably the best hitter in the conference, Matalasi Faapito, with a pair.

Most strikeouts in the WAC >>> Highest batting average in the WAC Kerisa Viramontes whiffs Faapito to end the threat in the third, she now has six strikeouts through three innings!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/luq1NfXqif
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

In total, Viramontes would strike out nine Aggies and allow just four hits in her 16^th win of the season, two clear of the next closest pitcher. She also increased her lead in the conference strikeout race, now claiming 149 punch-outs, 30 more than the runner-up.

🥶🥶 KKKʞKKʞerisa is kold tonight! Seven punch-outs through four!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/nKTgr2Iona
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

CBU got on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a wild sequence of events. McBay would reach first on a leadoff walk, immediately followed by Abby Robertson laying down a first-pitch sacrifice bunt. McBay tried to catch the Aggies off guard and never slowed up at second, instead rounding and forcing a rushed throw to third which went into left field foul territory. McBay hesitated for a moment before going for home. The throw to the plate was high and McBay would slide in safely under the tag, scoring from first on a sacrifice bunt.

⚔️1⃣-0⃣🤠 Only Ashley McBay scores from first on a sacrifice BUNT!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/fDJlwtQGSz
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

Viramontes would get help with her clean sheet from her backstop Katelyn Mangrello who threw out a pair of Aggies trying to steal, one at second and one at third.

🗣️DON'T RUN ON KATELYN🗣️#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/eS9hrQHnNK
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

The Lancers managed to score two runs on just one hit as Brittany Galvez technically recorded the only hit, a double to left center in the bottom of the fourth which didn't account for either of the Lancer runs. Galvez would reach in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI fielder's choice after the Aggie defense tried unsuccessfully to throw out McBay who went home from third.

WHAT'S NEXT

Tomorrow's crucial game begins at 12 p.m. at John C. Funk Stadium. Prior to the game the 2020 seniors who were robbed of their Senior Day last season due to COVID-19 will be honored an hour prior to first-pitch. The 2021 seniors will be recognized immediately following the conclusion of the game.