RIVERSIDE – It took just over three hours, 10 innings and an international tiebreaker to finish, but California Baptist University softball ultimately overcame UC Riverside in the Crosstown Showdown by a score of 4-3.
This victory gives CBU the win in three of the last four meetings between these two programs, improving the Lancers' 2022 record to 2-4, while the Highlanders drop to 2-3.
Cleanup hitter
Makayla Jordan leads the clubhouse when it comes to runs batted in, adding two more to bring her total to seven on the year. That total ties her for fourth most in the Western Athletic Conference.
Katelyn Mangrello now owns a five-game hit streak after a first-inning single.
Freshman catcher
Mackenzie San Pedro recorded the game winner with two outs in the top of the 10
th, making her first collegiate hit that much more memorable. She took a 2-0 pitch out to left field for a long single, but it was more than enough to score
Alissa Montes De Oca from third.
Alyssa Argomaniz started the game for CBU, tossing four quality innings, striking out five while allowing three earned runs.
Jazmine Castaneda came in for relief work to start the fifth inning and pitched nearly a full game herself, throwing six innings of shutout softball, striking out four along the way.
The Highlanders opened the scoring after turning a walk and a sacrifice bunt into a score from second on a long single in the bottom of the second.
The Lancers would answer immediately with Jordan's two-run double in the top of the third. Jordan then stole third and scored easily on the next pitch, a perfectly executed bunt single from
Amanda Argomaniz, putting CBU up 3-1.
UCR would answer in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back sacrifice flies to tie it at three all. From the fifth through the ninth innings, the teams would combine for just four hits. Each would record one in the 10
th, once the international tiebreaker rule was implemented placing a runner at second to begin each half inning, but only CBU was able to capitalize on the opportunity.
UCR would make contact in its final two outs, but
Maile Olsen took care of business at third and retired both to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Lancers will take part in the Campbell/Cartier Classic this weekend, hosted by San Diego State. The three-day tournament will pit CBU against Southern Utah, CSUN, Army and host SDSU. Play begins Friday afternoon against the Thunderbirds with first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
