CBU Drops Doubleheader to #3 Florida and Host Arizona State

Friday, February 21

Tempe, Ariz.

9:30 AM

California Baptist University

5-8

#3 Florida

14-1

California Baptist

Florida

Photo by: Ryley Collom

CBU Drops Doubleheader to #3 Florida and Host Arizona State

2/21/2025 5:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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

TEMPE, ARIZONA - California Baptist softball headed south for the weekend as participants in the ASU/GCU Invitational tournament. Day one found the Lancers in Tempe for a stiff doubleheader against No. 3 Florida and host Arizona State. The Lancers would drop both contests, 11-0 and 8-1, respectively, and fall to 5-9 on the season.

GAME ONE: CBU 0 - #3 FLORIDA 11 (5)

The first game of the weekend was an uphill battle from the start. The Florida Gators, currently ranked #3 in national polls, had just suffered their first loss of the season against #14 Duke last Sunday and were looking to get back in the win column. They wasted no time righting the ship and posted a nine-run first inning. Florida added two more in the fourth to reach their final count of 11 for the game.

The Lancers never rolled over, though, continuing to fight throughout. CBU showed promise in the top of the fourth after back-to-back singles from Kate Penberthy and Kalena Burns got a Lancer into scoring position for the first time in the game. A pitch would later hit Sydney Soto to load the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, a full count groundout by the next Lancer batter would prevent the rally from truly starting.

Lili Arana came in as relief for starter Morgan McConnell and threw 3.1 solid innings. Arana allowed four earned on four hits and recorded all three strikeouts in the game for both teams.

GAME TWO: CBU 1 - ASU 8

The day's second game started off on a better note for the Lancers, holding Arizona State scoreless until the third inning. In that third inning, the combination of Sydney Soto, Malachy Russell-Millen, and Valerie Alvarez gunned down what would have been the first run of the game on a perfectly executed 8-4-2 play at the plate to keep it scoreless. The Sun Devils would later plate a pair on a two-run shot.

CBU would make their way onto the scoreboard in the fifth inning as leadoff hitter Soto singled to start the inning. She would be sacrifice bunted over to second and reach third on a wild pitch. Then, with Russell-Millen at the plate, a fourth ball would get away from the ASU battery, and Soto would seize the opportunity and score from third on the wild pitch.

Things came apart in the sixth inning; despite retiring the first batter of the half inning, the following nine Sun Devils would reach safely, with five of them stealing second, and score six to balloon their lead to 8-1. CBU would go down in order in the top of the seventh to end the contest.

CBU will head to the campus of Grand Canyon University for a single game on Saturday afternoon, taking on a former WAC foe in New Mexico State. The Lancers and Aggies are scheduled to begin play at 12:15 p.m. Pacific time.