California Baptist University
10-11
Sacramento State
13-6
CBU Splits Opening Day of the Lance Up Invite
3/8/2024 10:56:00 PM | Softball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University softball opened up their third and final non-conference tournament with a split against Sacramento State and Harvard. The Lancers fell to the Hornets in the mid-afternoon tilt 5-1 and then bested the Crimson 2-1 in the evening game.
‼️Finishing out Friday Night in the Win Column‼️#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/JIXteIohnm
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) March 9, 2024
The split kept CBU's record even at 11-11, and the win over Harvard marked the 10th home victory of the season for the Lancers.
GAME ONE: SACRAMENTO STATE 5 CBU 1
The Hornets wasted no time getting runs on the board, producing three in the top of the first. All of the scores were unearned, as CBU registered a pair of fielding errors in the period. The Lancers would start to heat up their bats at the bottom of the second, with Valerie Alvarez, Matti Severns, and Malachy Russell-Millen all singling to load up the bases. The Hornets ace Savannah Wahl would get them out of trouble with a strikeout to keep the lead at 3-0 for the Hornets.
The next two innings would be uneventful for both sides as both pitchers settled into the game. The Hornets would again score off mistakes by the Lancers in the top of the fifth, registering two unearned runs to bring the score to 5-0 in favor of Sac State.
CBU's offense would get going in the bottom of the sixth, beginning with a single by Maya Avila. Sydney Soto and Alvarez would follow closely behind with singles of their own to put the Lancers in scoring position. Priscilla Estrada would bring Soto home on the fielder's choice to put CBU on the board. The Hornets would get out of the jam to strand two runners for CBU.
Sydney getting us going in the 4th!! 💥#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/FNxh4S8EJ1
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) March 9, 2024
Carly Limosnero and the Lancer defense would get out of a jam of their own in the top of the seventh inning, stranding three Hornets on base. Maya Martinez would single to begin the bottom of the inning, but a nifty double play from the Hornets infield would end the ball game at 5-1.
GAME TWO: HARVARD 1 CBU 2
The second game of the day was starkly different from the first, with both pitchers playing clean and no errors on the board. The two teams went scoreless through three and a half innings as Jazmine Castaneda for CBU and Riley Flynn of Harvard held serve on the mound. CBU would open the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Soto double that brought home Cayla Crawford.
The Crimson would get the game-tying run in the top of the sixth with an RBI single, but Castaneda would strand a Harvard runner to prevent further damage. Avila, pinch-hitting for Merissa Borkowski, would convert an RBI double to bring home Kate Penberthy for the go-ahead run that would stand. The Crimson had one last gasp atop the seventh as they trailed 2-1. Harvard would quickly get a runner aboard with a single, but a foul out by Harvard and a strikeout from Castaneda would put Harvard in a precarious spot.
With a runner on second and two outs, the Lancers would turn to Presley Hosick to bring the game home. Hosick and the Lancer defense would deliver, throwing the final out at home plate as a Crimson runner attempted to score the tying run. CBU would hold onto the 2-1 victory, with Castaneda awarded the victory and Hosick the save. Castaneda tossed 93 pitches on the evening and only allowed one earned run for the Lancers while retiring three batters via strikeout. Castaneda brought her season record to 5-4 with the victory and has now won each of her last three.
‼️Field Views of the W‼️#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/974cQ8IDhe
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) March 9, 2024
Soto and Alvarez had three hits apiece between the two games to lead the Lancer offense. Soto added in a run and RBI double on the day to add to her impressive start to the season.
NEXT: The Lancers will continue in the Lance Up Invite on Saturday and are set to face Harvard and UCSD at 12:30 PM and 5:30 PM, respectively.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wahl, Savannah (4-1)
L: McConnell, Morgan (3-7)
Batting:
RBI: Parish, Alexis 1 ; Parish, Samantha 2 ; Evans, Caroline 1
SH: Parish, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hanson, Haley 1 ; Ludwig, Gwen 1 ; Day, Lewa 1 ; Lira, Andrea 1 ; Parish, Alexis 1
Batting:
RBI: Estrada , Priscilla 1
SH: Severns, Matti 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Soto, Sydney 1
CS: Penberthy, Kate 1
HBP: Lyon, Kayla 1
