California Baptist University
1-0
FDU
0-1
CBU Opens The 2024 Season With a Dominant Sweep of FDU
2/9/2024 9:23:00 PM | Softball
RIVERSIDE - The 2024 home opener came a bit earlier than expected this season, but Head Coach Mike Smith had his squad ready nonetheless. The Lancers were supposed to be the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego this weekend, but exceptional weather all week shifted plans to CBU hosting Fairleigh Dickinson in an opening day doubleheader. The Lancers dominated, sweeping the Knights 6-0 in both games to start the season as hot as possible.
The Lancer bats connected on 20 hits on Friday afternoon, while the pitching duo of Morgan McConnell and Presley Hosick allowed a combined three hits, no runs, and two walks while striking out a dozen. Senior outfielder Merissa Borkowski led CBU on the day by going 4-5 at the plate and scoring a pair. Preseason All-WAC selection Priscilla Estrada went 3-8 while putting up a team-high three RBI.
GAME ONE: CBU 6 - FDU 0
Game one of 2024 got off to an understandably slow start for both teams. The first three innings were quickly decided as Sydney Soto collected the first hit for CBU in 2024 with a standup double in the first, and Borkowski reached on a bunt single in the second. The Knights put one in play in the top of the second, but that would be their only base hit of the game.
The tide shifted in a big way in the fourth inning when CBU batted around, scoring all six runs with two outs in the inning. Valerie Alvarez brought in freshman Matti Severns for the season's first run. The next five at-bats all added another run to the tally, culminating with an RBI triple from Bobbiann Pratt.
After that, McConnell would strike out three in the next three innings and collect her first complete-game shutout as a Lancer. The outing was a career-best for McConnell, who allowed just one hit in the game, walked just two, struck out six, and did it all efficiently on 88 pitches.
GAME TWO: CBU 6 - FDU 0
Even though the day's second game had the same final scoreline, it was achieved in a very different fashion. Rather than one monster inning to win it, game two saw the Lancers string together multiple innings of multiple runs to methodically earn the sweep.
The action picked up in the second when Borkowski and Severns each knocked RBI infield singles, scoring pinch runner Madi Heiner and catcher Maya Avila. They kept the pressure on in the third as another freshman, Kate Penberthy and Avila laced RBI doubles to add another pair of runs to the CBU scoreline. Penberthy would smash another double to the centerfield wall in the fourth to give the newest Lancer third baseman her first multi-hit game at CBU.
The final bit of offense came with one swing in the fifth when leadoff slapper Estrada found the sweet spot and sent one into the left center gap, legging out a standup triple which scored Borkowski and Malachy Russell-Millen.
Hosick finished her impressive sophomore debut by allowing zero runs, just two hits, and no walks. Hosick's complete game shutout added a bit of history to the day's sweep as it was the first same-day sweep where both games were shutouts in the Division I era.
Saturday's foe will likely give CBU more of a fight as Idaho State swept their doubleheader on Friday against UC San Diego. The Tigers are 3-0 after defeating San Diego on Thursday.
Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at John C. Funk Stadium. Admission is free for this surprise series, so be sure to fill the Funk as the Lancers go for 4-0 for the first time in the DI era.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McConnell, Morgan (1-0)
L: SHROYER, Brooklyn (0-1)
Base Running:
SB: BARELLA, Erika 1
Batting:
2B: Soto, Sydney 1 ; Lyon, Kayla 1 ; Alvarez, Valerie 1
3B: Amato, Ally 1
RBI: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Soto, Sydney 1 ; Amato, Ally 1 ; Alvarez, Valerie 1 ; Borkowski, Merissa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Soto, Sydney 1 ; Severns, Matti 1 ; Alvarez, Valerie 1 ; Martinez, Maya 1 ; Borkowski, Merissa 1
SB: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Soto, Sydney 1
HBP: Lyon, Kayla 1
