Seniors Honored as Lancers Take On Aggies in Final Game of 2021

Saturday, May 8

Riverside, Calif.

12 PM

California Baptist University

21-30-1, 8-10

NM State

29-19, 14-4

New Mexico State

California Baptist

Seniors Honored as Lancers Take On Aggies in Final Game of 2021

5/8/2021 4:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE – Senior celebrations book-ended the final contest of the 2021 California Baptist University softball season on Saturday afternoon.

It was a game that saw five home runs as the Aggies took the final test of the season by a score of 9-3. CBU closes out its second full season of Western Athletic Conference play with a 21-30-1 record overall and an 8-10 mark in conference play. The Lancers matched their D-I era wins record originally set in 2019.

With the win, NMSU secured at least a share of the WAC's regular season title, which would later become a full title after Grand Canyon took down Seattle U in Phoenix, 4-2. The Lancers finish the year in a tie for fifth place in the conference standings along with Utah Valley and just a half game behind GCU for third.

Saturday also marked the final seven innings of play for five Lancer seniors: Brittany Galvez, Ashley McBay, Kerisa Viramontes, Abby Robertson and Giana Lopez. They were honored with a post-game ceremony that highlighted years of achievements and milestones each player contributed to the program.

Our Sensational 2021 Seniors!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Rq6K3qdaAN
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

New Mexico State wasted no time taking control of the game, plating five runs in the first two innings in its pursuit of a conference crown. In total, the Aggies scored nine runs on an efficient 10 hits, four of which were homers. Defensively, the Aggies left little to chance, using three different pitchers throughout the game, including both game one and two starters.

CBU would chip away at the lead, plating one in the second inning on Katelyn Mangrello's fourth homer of the season, a no-doubter to left field.

😘 Kiss that one goodbye! A no-doubter from Katelyn Mangrello to get the Lancers on the board!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ZXHdwSxZYg
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

In the third fourth inning, the Lancers would have runners on second and third with just one out, scoring Deja Westbrook on a Molly Kolander single through the left side.

♨️ Molly Kolander smokes one into the left field grass and the Lancers cut into the Aggie lead a little more!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/7GnXgGE5Z0
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

The fifth inning was seemingly gift wrapped for a big number for CBU. NM State loaded the bases full of Lancers without allowing a hit after a walk, error and hit by pitch. Amanda Argomaniz would squeeze a single through the left side to score Michaila Harrington.

Argo in the clutch!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/MIYULCuZ0S
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) May 8, 2021

The bases would remain loaded as the third out of the inning came in the next at-bat. In all, 10 Lancers were left stranded on the base paths Saturday.

Viramontes went the distance in her final start as a Lancer, striking out four along the way. She finishes an incredible collegiate career with a remarkable senior stat sheet, leading the WAC in wins with 16 and in strikeouts with 153. She finishes the 2021 conference slate with a 7-4 record and boasting a 2.23 earned-run average.