April 8, 2009

Story courtesy of Point Loma Nazarene Sports Information

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The showdown between the top-two ranked teams in the NAIA lived up to the billing on Tuesday (April 7) as 2-ranked Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) and No. 1 California Baptist split a GSAC doubleheader. The Sea Lions dropped the opener 5-2 but bounced back to win the nightcap 2-0 in what were the final regular season games played at Sunset Cliffs Park.

The twinbill was watched by one of the largest crowds in the history of the field nestled on Sunset Cliffs. Among those in attendance were PLNU softball alumni, university administration, faculty and staff and two of the team's most loyal fans: Bob and Linda Doherty.

For the last five years Bob and Linda have been honorary coaches to the Sea Lions at the NAIA National Championship Tournament in Decatur, AL. The couple has always gone far beyond their responsibilities to support the team at national and came out from Alabama for the final games played at PLNU’s home since 1977. It was also senior day for PLNU All-Americans Kayla Luttmers and Melissa Gomez.

While there was a lot happening on Tuesday, neither team lost sight for what was most important: the conference championship. With a sweep, the Lancers would put themselves in great position to win their sixth-straight GSAC title. The Sea Lions were hoping to win two and move a game ahead of CBU in the standings with four conference games left in 2009.

Neither team made a statement they were looking for as the status quo remained after 14 innings of play. California Baptist sits at 41-3 overall, 17-3 in the GSAC, one game ahead of Point Loma Nazarene’s 16-4 conference mark (36-5 overall). The Lancers have the tiebreaker as well since they topped the Sea Lions three out of four games this season. CBU rounds out GSAC play with two against both Concordia and Vanguard while PLNU still has Concordia and Azusa Pacific on the docket.

The Lancers struck in the second inning of game one when rightfielder Kendall Gorham laced a Gomez offering just inside the rightfield foul pole for a three-run homerun.  Gomez knocked in Luttmers with a single in the third to cut the deficit to two. However, a bases-loaded walk by Gomez and a wild pitch by reliever Kira Wommer helped CBU take a commanding 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth.

Gomez shot a double into right center – her third hit of the game – in the bottom of the seventh to plate Luttmers once again. Lancer reliever Melanie Ahumada entered the circle and retired the next two batters to earn the save (2) and preserve the win for starter Tony Ferreira (15-0).
 
PLNU out hit CBU 8-6 in the game but stranded nine runners. In addition, the Lancers turned a pair of double plays that ended Sea Lion scoring threats.
 
Tyler Lent took the ball for Point Loma in the nightcap. The junior All-American hasn’t had the best of luck against the Lancers in the past. It didn't look good for Lent and the Sea Lions when the first Lancer batter of the game, shortstop Ahsley Boyd, hit a blooper that dropped in for a triple when PLNU leftfielder Samantha Hall fell while tracking down the ball.

Lent was up to the challenge Tuesday, however, as she reached back and struckout the next three California Baptist hitters. She ended up yielding just three hits to the powerful California Baptist lineup in a complete-game effort.

CBU starter Emma Holden was nearly as good. She scattered just five hits six innings of work but the difference was a solo homerun by Gomez and a botched throw that allowed pinch-runner Jessica Amador to score in PLNU’s two-run fourth.

The Lancers did not go down quietly. CBU hit a couple of very loud outs, including one by Gorham with two down and one on in the seventh. But Sunset Cliffs Park giveth and it taketh away. Gorham's homer in game one just made it over the short rightfield fence. Her drive in game two would have been out of any other park in the conference but was instead gloved by Hall at the fence for the final out.

Lent fanned eight and improved to 17-3 with the win. Holden slipped to 9-1, though she struckout nine.

The Sea Lions wrap up the home portion of the 2009 schedule with a 26-1 record at Sunset Cliffs Park.