April 6, 2011

Story courtesy of California Baptist Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- No. 1 California Baptist University showed a little of everything in its sweep of No. 3-ranked Concordia Tuesday night, using a come from behind win in the opener, before blowing the Eagles out in the nightcap. CBU now stands with 30-straight wins, which is the fifth-longest stretch in NAIA history. Central Baptist (Ark.) holds the all-time record of 41-consecutive wins, set last season.

The Lancers trailed 5-1 in the latter innings of the opener, but got seven runs in the fifth inning to score the come from behind win. The momentum certainly seemed to carry over from the emotional early game win, as CBU blew the Eagles out 12-0 in just five innings in the late game.

“These were a great pair of wins we got tonight,” said Head Coach Mike Smith. “I can’t say enough about what the girls did tonight, especially coming back from that early deficit. We told them that against good teams like Concordia that one bad inning could haunt us and it almost did, but the girls hung in there and came up clutch once again.”

The Eagles scored all five of their runs in the third inning of first game, getting to Lancer starter Emma Holden early with five hits. Two errors also cost CBU in the third, leading to a pair of unearned runs in the inning.

The Lancers had been experiencing their share of offensive woes early, leaving eight runners on base through the first four innings.

CBU finally overcame its struggles when Mara Rodriguez ripped a double through the left side, scoring a pair of runs and bringing the Lancers to within two. Tina Galinato would later follow with a two-run double of her own off the outstretched glove of Concordia center-fielder Bryanna Simpson, to even the game at 5-5. Briana Corral followed, singling in Galinato for the go-ahead run and chasing the Eagles’ starter Jennifer Simons.

With Simons out of the ball game, Kendall Gorham wasted no time greeting reliever Morgan Reiter, sending a 3-2 pitch deep over the center field wall to make it 8-2.

Smith then called upon his freshman reliever Courtney McGee to close things out and she did not disappoint, allowing just one hit and no earned runs to earn her first career save in two innings of work.

“We planned to bring Courtney in even if it was sill 5-1,” said Smith. “Once we got the lead I told her to just go out and make her mark. She has been pitching great lately and we are going to need her late in the year in big games like this, so I felt good about bringing her in.”

Along with an explosive 12-run outburst, it was another masterful pitching performance that highlighted Tuesday’s late game.

“Tory Ferreira did a great job as well,” said Smith. “She threw an excellent ball game, keeping a big power-hitting team like that off the bases all game. She really had good stuff tonight.”

Ferreira threw five dominant innings keeping the Eagle hitters off balance all game, scattering four hits, while striking out five and not allowing a run.

After taking a 3-0 lead, CBU blew the game open with nine runs in the fourth inning. CBU sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning, scoring its nine runs on eight hits and two errors.

Rodriguez plated three RBI in the inning and Sloan McHann knocked in a pair also. Rodriguez went 3-for-3 on the game scoring two runs to go along with her three RBI. McHann, who hit a towering two-run homer earlier in the game led the team with four RBI on 2-of-3 hitting in the nightcap.

On the day Nicole Shoemaker and Rodriguez led the team with four hits a piece. Rodriguez had a total of seven RBI and Shoemaker had two. Shoemaker also hit her first triple of the season.

As a team the Lancers hit .431 en route to their 20 runs.

CBU moves to 47-1 overall, and keeps its conference record perfect at 10-0. Concordia falls to 38-6, 8-2. With the wins the Lancers take over first place in the conference standings by themselves for the first time this season.