GULF SHORES, Ala. --- After two weeks off it took all of two innings for the bats of No. 1 California Baptist University to heat up in the opening game of the NAIA National Tournament.
CBU used a nine-run third inning to propel the team to an 11-0 win over SUNY Canton (N.Y.), in both teams’ opener at the championship. The Lancers got solid pitching from three of their hurlers and used sparks from both a freshman and senior to get the offense on track.
“We had a plan that if things went right we would try and get all of our pitchers in the game so they could all get their feet wet in this tournament,” said Head Coach Mike Smith. “Our bats came alive in the third and we were able to do just that. This was a great way to get things going today.”
Emma Holden started the game and was absolutely dominant in her two inning pitched. The Lancers’ junior ace struck out six of seven batters and allowed just one hit. Tory Ferreira then entered the game and didn’t skip a beat, striking out two without allowing a hit in her two innings. Freshman Courtney McGee completed the trio for CBU, working her way out of a bases loaded jam without allowing a run to end the game in the fifth.
Freshman Marshean August drove in the opening run of the tournament for the Lancers, getting a two-out RBI single in the second. Tina Galinato kept the two-out rally alive with a single to score August and the Lancers took a 2-0 lead into the third.
After CBU got a run in the third on an RBI single by Sloan McHann, senior catcher Nicole Shoemaker stepped to the plate with a runner on first. Shoemaker blasted the second pitch she saw straight into the wind and over the left-center fence, making it 5-0 in favor of the Lancers. CBU would go on to score nine runs on eight hits in the inning.
“Marshean’s hit was big not only for the team, but for her confidence as a freshman playing in her first national tournament,” said Smith. “How great is it for a senior to get a big home run like that in the third, too. She has been up and down a little bit at the plate this year so that was big for her and it broke things open for us.”
Shoemaker was one of three players in the Lancers’ lineup with multiple RBI on the day. Gorham went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and one run scored, and Mara Rodriguez had two RBI on her lone hit of the day. Ten different players on CBU’s roster either scored or drove in runs in the game.
Ferreira got the win for CBU moving to 18-2 on the season. CBU pitching allowed three hits and struck out nine on the day, without walking a batter.
“It’s nice for us to get a quick game under our belt to start things off,” said Smith. “We have a big game tomorrow with Friends and I feel like we are going to be healthy and rested going into it.”
The win gives the Lancers their fourth-straight 60-win season moving the team’s record to 60-3 on the year. SUNY, playing in their first ever NAIA Tournament, falls to 18-14 overall and 0-1 in Pool A.
CBU will face Friends (Kan.) at 8:30 a.m. (PDT) tomorrow. Both teams are 1-0 in pool play after the Falcons defeated No. 19 MidAmerica Nazarene in their opener. CBU will wrap up pool play against MidAmerica Nazarene Saturday at 4 p.m. (PDT).
CBU used a nine-run third inning to propel the team to an 11-0 win over SUNY Canton (N.Y.), in both teams’ opener at the championship. The Lancers got solid pitching from three of their hurlers and used sparks from both a freshman and senior to get the offense on track.
“We had a plan that if things went right we would try and get all of our pitchers in the game so they could all get their feet wet in this tournament,” said Head Coach Mike Smith. “Our bats came alive in the third and we were able to do just that. This was a great way to get things going today.”
Emma Holden started the game and was absolutely dominant in her two inning pitched. The Lancers’ junior ace struck out six of seven batters and allowed just one hit. Tory Ferreira then entered the game and didn’t skip a beat, striking out two without allowing a hit in her two innings. Freshman Courtney McGee completed the trio for CBU, working her way out of a bases loaded jam without allowing a run to end the game in the fifth.
Freshman Marshean August drove in the opening run of the tournament for the Lancers, getting a two-out RBI single in the second. Tina Galinato kept the two-out rally alive with a single to score August and the Lancers took a 2-0 lead into the third.
After CBU got a run in the third on an RBI single by Sloan McHann, senior catcher Nicole Shoemaker stepped to the plate with a runner on first. Shoemaker blasted the second pitch she saw straight into the wind and over the left-center fence, making it 5-0 in favor of the Lancers. CBU would go on to score nine runs on eight hits in the inning.
“Marshean’s hit was big not only for the team, but for her confidence as a freshman playing in her first national tournament,” said Smith. “How great is it for a senior to get a big home run like that in the third, too. She has been up and down a little bit at the plate this year so that was big for her and it broke things open for us.”
Shoemaker was one of three players in the Lancers’ lineup with multiple RBI on the day. Gorham went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and one run scored, and Mara Rodriguez had two RBI on her lone hit of the day. Ten different players on CBU’s roster either scored or drove in runs in the game.
Ferreira got the win for CBU moving to 18-2 on the season. CBU pitching allowed three hits and struck out nine on the day, without walking a batter.
“It’s nice for us to get a quick game under our belt to start things off,” said Smith. “We have a big game tomorrow with Friends and I feel like we are going to be healthy and rested going into it.”
The win gives the Lancers their fourth-straight 60-win season moving the team’s record to 60-3 on the year. SUNY, playing in their first ever NAIA Tournament, falls to 18-14 overall and 0-1 in Pool A.
CBU will face Friends (Kan.) at 8:30 a.m. (PDT) tomorrow. Both teams are 1-0 in pool play after the Falcons defeated No. 19 MidAmerica Nazarene in their opener. CBU will wrap up pool play against MidAmerica Nazarene Saturday at 4 p.m. (PDT).
