WACO, TEXAS - California Baptist softball showed incredible grit and determination on Saturday, winning a pair of pitchers duals against North Texas and Sam Houston, 2-1 and 1-0 in 10 innings, respectively. The wins set up a rematch on Sunday morning against the host Baylor Bears.
GAME ONE: CBU 1 - UNT 0
The day started with one of the stiffest competitions the Lancers had faced all season in the Mean Green, who entered the day with a 15-2 record and were owners of a 10-game win streak. CBU recorded at least one hit in the first three innings, while UNT was blanked for the same stretch. North Texas was finally showing life, leading off the fourth inning with a single to right center, only for their bats never to be heard from again in the game.
The game's only offense would come in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs already in the books, third baseman Kate Penberthy sent her second pitch at bat screaming down the left field line. It would be her second home run of the season if it stayed fair. Most of Getterman Stadium held their breath to see if the ball would stay straight long enough or start to curve foul, but it flew just inside the left field foul pole and made it a triumphant jog around the bases for Penberthy.
Lili Arana, starting pitcher for CBU, cruised through five innings of work, striking out three and allowing just that one hit. Senior Morgan McConnell would get her day started in a relief role in the sixth inning, half an inning after CBU got its lead from Penberthy, and made light work of the Mean Green, striking out one and walking another on just 32 pitches to earn her second save of the season.
The win was significant on several levels, but not the least of which is the quality of the opponent that UNT is and how CBU beat them. The Mean Green had not been shut out all season, including against #19 Mississippi State or #13 Texas Tech, and it snapped a 10-game winning streak that UNT had been working on since that meeting with the 19th-ranked Bulldogs on Valentine's Day.
GAME TWO: CBU 2 - Sam Houston 1
The day's second game was similar in many ways, as neither team's pitching staff was keen on allowing much action. After a game break following the UNT victory, McConnell got the start, and she shined. The senior hurler started Saturday with a 5.61 ERA but dropped that stat an entire point after 12 innings of scoreless pitching between the UNT and SMSU contests. While she didn't record a strikeout in her second appearance, McConnell was pulling strings left and right, forcing hitters into awkward swings and bad contact, making it easy for the defense behind her to finish off the Bearkat hitters. She tossed a total of 114 pitches on her way to her second win of the season.
The game entered extra innings, and finally, both managed to work their free runner from the international tiebreaker. The game continued into the tenth inning. Leftfielder Stevie Robison got things started in the top half with a pair of incredible defensive efforts that ultimately led to the Mean Green not scoring in the frame.
In the bottom half, a sacrifice bunt and a groundout led to true freshman Robison stepping to the plate with two outs and a runner just 60 feet from ending the game. She connected on the fourth pitch of her at-bat and recorded her first collegiate walk-off hit to advance CBU into the tournament championship game.
Later that day, Baylor would best North Texas to set up Sunday's finale against the host Bears. As one can see, CBU will be the home team with a game time set for 11:00 a.m. Central/9:00 a.m. Pacific time.
