Martinez Crushes Extra Innings Walkoff Homer, CBU goes 5-0 on the Weekend

Sunday, March 5

Riverside, Calif.

1:30 PM

California Baptist University

11-9

Howard

4-11

Howard

California Baptist

Martinez Crushes Extra Innings Walkoff Homer, CBU goes 5-0 on the Weekend

3/5/2023 4:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Daniel Cook, Associate Director of Athletics Communications & Digital Media

RIVERSIDE – California Baptist University softball closed out the Lancers Invite on Sunday afternoon with late arrival, Howard University. The Bison had spent the first half of the weekend competing across town at UC Riverside and made the trip to Funk Stadium to close out their California trip. The Lancers tussled with the Bison into extra innings but ultimately came away with the 5-3 win.

CBU improves to 11-9 on the year after a perfect 5-0 weekend at John C. Funk Stadium. They did it in dominant fashion, outscoring opponents 27-5 over the five games played.

The Bison struck first, scoring an unearned run in the top of the third. The Lancers responded in the fourth with one of their own off a sac fly from the white-hot bat of Alissa Montes De Oca, scoring Sydney Soto.

CBU took the lead in the next inning, as Merissa Borkowski recorded an infield single that brought in pinch runner Riley McDaniel. The freshman McDaniel has excelled in her pinch-running role early in her Lancer career. She ranks second on the team with nine runs scored in 15 pinch-running appearances.

Howard would tie the game late with a run in the top of the seventh that the Lancers couldn't immediately match, forcing extra innings. HU would continue to apply the pressure in the top of the eighth, taking the lead with two outs. Presley Hosick, who was making her fifth relief appearance of the season, shut the door on any thought of a Bison rally with an inning-ending strikeout after that.

The Lancers made it exciting in the bottom half of the frame as Valerie Alvarez began the inning on second base per the international tie break rule. She was quickly moved over to third courtesy of a Priscilla Estrada sacrifice bunt and scored the tying run two batters later as Soto brought her in with a single. Maya Martinez stepped into the box after that, took one ball, and ended the game with a no-doubt blast to straightaway center field. It is the second walk-off home run in the Division I era and the first to happen in extra innings.

𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐀👏𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐙👏𝐅𝐓𝐖👏 Maya makes every child's backyard dream a reality by blasting a walk-off home run in extra innings! CBU ends the weekend a perfect 5-0!#LanceUp⚔️ | @NCAASoftball | @WACsports pic.twitter.com/KAcQYyrNs5
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) March 6, 2023

Alyssa Argomaniz started the circle after throwing her first career no-hitter on Saturday night. She threw two more innings of no-hit softball before allowing two hits and an unearned run in the third. She went six strong with one earned run allowed, allowing five hits total while striking out one for the no decision. Hosick tossed the game's final two innings, striking out two and earning her fifth win of the year.

CBU gets little downtime after such a successful weekend, welcoming Long Beach State to Funk Stadium on Tuesday, March 7, for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch time.