April 6, 2007

Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

RIVERSIDE, Calif - Amy Thomas set a new NAIA record by tossing her 90th consecutive inning without allowing an earned run, as No. 1-ranked California Baptist swept No. 8 Vanguard 2-0, 9-1 in GSAC play Thursday afternoon.

The Lancers get back on the winning track after their 32-game winning streak was snapped this Tuesday by No. 16 Biola, as CBU improves to 38-2, 13-1. Vanguard falls to 33-8, 11-3.

Erin Moore's solo shot to lead off the fourth inning provided enough offense for Candice Thomas to pick up the win in game one, as she improved to 19-1 with 7 shutout innings. She scattered a trio of hits and also walked 3 against 5 strikeouts in the win.

Shawna Rainwater, who finished with a 2-for-2 afternoon, singled after Moore's blast and moved on to second when Sarah Hurlbut's attempted sacrifice found a path between the shortstop and third basemen. However, Jennifer Olvera retired the next 3 batters to escape the rally unscathed.

The Lancers gave Thomas a bit more breathing room in the sixth inning, as Rainwater led off with a walk, advanced on Hurlbut's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Sarah Goforth's 2-out single to centerfield to give California Baptist the 2-0 victory.

Olvera (13-2) took the loss for Vanguard, surrendering 2 earned runs on 8 hits--2 from 2-time running GSAC Player of the Week Chantal Millard--and 4 walks while notching 6 strikeouts in 6 frames.

Jenkins rocked a solo shot to lead off a 6-run second inning in game 2, as the Lancers sent 11 batters to the plate and banged out 7 hits. Following Jenkins' leadoff homer, Casandrah Carreon and Moore each singled to set the table for Hurlbut's 3-run homer to make the score 4-0.

While Vanguard starter Jennifer Rynda was chased following Hurlbut's long ball, the Lancers weren't finished doing damage, as Kelly Maconachy and Millard each singled leading up to Nikki Lowe's RBI single. Millard came around to score on a Jenkins ground ball, which was booted by shortstop Rachel Bomgren to give the Lancers a 6-0 advantage.

Keeley Johnson's pinch-hit homer in the sixth inning plated Casandrah Carreon to make the score 8-0, as the Lancers touched up reliever Kelsey Boyer--who had only given up 3 earned runs in 67.1 previous frames--for 3 earned runs in 3 innings.

Rynda (6-5) took the loss for the Lions, as she allowed 4 earned runs on 4 hits in 1.1 innings. She breezed through the first inning 1-2-3, but retired only one batter in the second.

Amy Thomas (19-1) picked up the victory with 5 innings of work where she allowed 3 hits and walked 2 to go along with 4 punchouts.

A solo home run from Noelle Navarette--who came into the day hitting .255 with no homers--snapped Thomas' NAIA record string of 90 innings without allowing an earned run. The previous high-water mark of 87.2 innings belongs to Candice Thomas, who accomplished the feat in 2005. The last earned run Amy Thomas had allowed was Feb. 17--a streak of 16 appearances and 15 starts.