Riverside, Calif. - The women's softball team picked up their two wins by sweeping Wednesday's doubleheader against Hope International University, 3-2 and 11-3.
Game was a pitchers duel throughout with the Golden Eagles finally breaking through with two runs in the fourth inning. After Mercedes Gasparovic reached base on an infield single, Melanie Vidaurri put her in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After another single by Brianna Gutierrez, Katie Witherby subsequently singled to shallow left-centerfield, driving in the first run of the game. Genifer Garbellini followed with another single to centerfield, scoring Guttierez.
The Golden Eagles threatened for more runs, but settled for the 2-0.
Hope International was kept off the scoreboard until the sixth inning when they tied the score at 2-2 with two runs of their own. They were held without a hit until the fifth inning, and finally scored with three hits in the top of the sixth inning.
After a scoreless seventh, the game moved into extra innings. In the Royals half of the inning, Julie Lopez was sacrificed to third base and was eventually put-out trying to get back to third after misplayed groundball by the Golden Eagles.
La Sierra got out of the inning unscathed and was able to push across the winning run, when Berlyn Benavides scored on a throwing error by the Royals, securing the 3-2 win.
Benavides led the team with two hits in four at-bats in the game. Witherby and Garbellini each finished the game 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Game 2 was all Golden Eagles from the start. They jumped on the scoreboard with three run on three hits in the opening inning and never looked back. La Sierra scored all of their 11 runs in the first four innings, the only innings they batted in as the mercy rule was in effect.
While Hope International nearly matched the hit total of the Golden Eagles (11) they were only able to push across three runs in the top of the third inning.
Garbellini finished Game 2 a perfect 3-for-3, scoring two runs, and one RBI. Gasparovic added two RBI's going 2-for-3, while Rylie Ruckled tallied two RBI's of her own with one hit in two at-bats.
Starting pitcher Vanessa Froussine picked up both wins on the afternoon, giving up five runs on 13 hits over the two games.
The women's softball team is now 3-11 on the season. They will be back in action on Friday when they host Biola University in a doubleheader starting at 12pm.
