California Baptist University
27-22, 15-6
Abilene Christian University
16-28, 8-15
CBU Completes Series Sweep Of Abilene With Run Rule Victory
4/27/2024 2:39:00 PM | Softball
ABILENE, TEXAS - Saturday's final against Abilene Christian couldn't have gone much better for California Baptist softball as the Lancers drubbed the Wildcats 10-1 in six innings to complete the fourth conference sweep of the season. Now at 15-6 in league play, CBU stands alone in second place in the Western Athletic Conference standings. Any single win by the Lancers in the final series, or loss by Utah Valley in their final two series, will clinch the 2-seed for the Lancers.
CBU scored in every inning of Saturday's game and scored in the top of the first in all three games of this series. A single run in the first off a Kate Penberthy at-bat got things rolling, followed by a score on a passed ball and a groundout in the second to make it 3-0. Maya Martinez, who earned the run on the passed ball, knocked a two-RBI double in the third to stretch the Lancer lead to five.
A good day got even better in the fourth as junior slapper Priscilla Estrada broke the mold and turned on one, sending her first collegiate home run over the left field fence in a hurry.
ACU got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to make it 6-1. However, CBU would take that run back in the next half inning as Estrada came up big again, smacking an RBI single to left and scoring Martinez on the play. Penberthy got the scoring going in the sixth with her fifth homer of the year, bringing Maddie Severns home with her to put the run rule into effect with a 9-1 scoreline. CBU would plate one more, and Ally Amato worked a bases-loaded walk, which scored Makenna Dashiell to reach the final scoreline of 10-1.
Carly Limosnero earned her fourth win in just her fourth start this season. The sophomore was rolling on Saturday, refusing to give up a single hit through her three innings of work. The lone ACU run was charged to Limosnero by way of a handful of hit batters, and walks were allowed. Presley Hosick relieved Limosnero in the fourth inning and continued the no-hit bid. The pair nearly turned in the first DI combined no-hitter, but the Wildcats collected a hit with two outs and two strikes on a drag slap in the sixth inning to avoid that. Hosick would induce a pop fly two pitches later to cement her conference-leading fourth save of the year.
The Lancers are now set to close out the regular season with a home series against Stephen F. Austin. Friday's doubleheader is slated for the usual times of 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday's finale is set for a 4:00 p.m. first pitch. Saturday will double as Senior Day for seven Lancers who will complete their playing time at Funk Stadium that day. A short pregame ceremony will take place around 3:00 p.m., with additional festivities happening after the game's conclusion.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Limosnero, Carly (1-3)
L: Russo, Lina (6-12)
S: Hosick, Presley (4)
Batting:
2B: Annett, Ashlee 1 ; Martinez, Maya 1 ; Dashiell, Makenna 1
HR: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Penberthy, Kate 1
RBI: Borkowski, Merissa 1 ; Estrada , Priscilla 2 ; Amato, Ally 1 ; Penberthy, Kate 3 ; Martinez, Maya 2
SH: Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Russell-Millen, Malachy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Borkowski, Merissa 1 ; Estrada , Priscilla 1 ; Severns, Matti 1 ; Penberthy, Kate 2 ; Soto, Sydney 1 ; Crawford, Cayla 1 ; Martinez, Maya 2 ; Dashiell, Makenna 1
HBP: Lyon, Kayla 1 ; Burns, Kalena 1 ; Martinez, Maya 1
Batting:
RBI: Shelander, Sammie 1
SH: Marble, Olivia 1 ; Lista, Miranda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Martinez, Isabel 1
HBP: Shelander, Sammie 2 ; Miloch, Avery 1 ; Davila, Miranda 2 ; Padgett, Skylar 1
