May 14, 2009

Story courtesy of California Baptist Sports Information Office

DECATUR, Ala. -- Mike Smith couldn't have asked for a better way to open the 2009 NAIA Softball National Tournament than with a big milestone victory. The head coach for California Baptist University's softball team not only kicked off the tournament with a 5-1 win over Hastings (Neb.), but Smith earned his 500th career victory.

"This was definitely a win I was looking forward to," said Smith. "I was hoping to get to do it back home, but if you're going to get it, you might as well get it at the national championships. It was good to get this first one right off the belt. It's not about me. It's about the teams and how successful they have been at both Biola and California Baptist. This is a milestone just as much for my players as it is for me."

Smith achieved that feat in just 11 seasons as a head coach and has won 331 of those 500 wins as the Lancers' skipper. The six-time Golden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year got off to a great start, after entering his sixth straight national tournament and third in-a-row as a No. 1 seed, behind the arm of Melanie Ahumada.

The junior, who was an All-American as a 2008 sophomore, tossed a complete game, allowing no earned runs and just three hits. She also struck out eight batters in moving to 15-3 on the year.

The only run Hastings scored came in the top of the second on a single to left field by Tara Tobiasson. Stacey Paladino led off the inning with a double and the Lancers thought they had their first out of the inning when Ahumada was able to get Tobiasson to lift a pop fly, but it was dropped in foul territory. Tobiasson then took advantage with a single to score the Broncos' first and only run.

"Mel threw a great game and the routine ball that was dropped was the only difference in her line," said Smith. "It was nice to see her come out and open as well as she did. It was special for me to see her lead the way for my 500th win."

 Hasting's run came on the heels of a three-run bottom of the first by CBU. After Ashley Boyd walked and Nikki Lowe singled to lead off the inning, Sarah Strong walked to load the bases. Nicole Shoemaker then drove in Boyd and Lowe with a single to left field before Strong made it 3-0 when she scored on a wild pitch.

After the Broncos made it 3-1 in the second, the Lancers scored two more insurance runs in the fourth. Kendall Gorham put up the first run of the fourth with a solo blast to right center, her 10th home run of the year, to give CBU a 4-0 lead. Nina Cabrales followed that up with a single to right and then stole second before Briana Corral singled to left to score Cabrales for the final run of the game.

Seven different Lancers recorded hits, but Cabrales was the only one to record more than two. The junior went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

"We didn't swing the bats real well today," said Smith. "I don't know if we were still on California time, but we seemed a little lethargic. It wasn't a prototypical CBU game, but we did just enough to win and that's a sign of good teams."

The Lancers will take on Park (Mo.) tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. (CDT) in day two of pool play.