BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1:  #18 Sonoma State 5, Dominican (CA) 1  --  Box Score
GAME 2:  #18 Sonoma State 5, Dominican (CA) 0  --  Box Score

ROHNERT PARK -- The 18th-ranked Sonoma State softball team pounded out 10 runs on 18 hits in two games and all three SSU pitchers cruised through the opposing lineup, allowing just one run on six hits in 14 innings as the Seawolves (12-5) earned a convincing doubleheader sweep over visiting Dominican (4-10) in non-conference action on Wednesday at the Seawolf Softball Field. 

GAME 1:  #18 Sonoma State 5, Dominican (CA) 1  --  Box Score

The Penguins threatened early against Samantha Lipperd, drawing three walks to load the bases with two outs in the top of the first inning, but Lipperd got the better of the two Samantha's, striking out Dominican's Samantha Talavera to end the inning with the bags jammed.

In Sonoma's first at bat, it took just six pitches for the hosts to take an early 1-0 lead.  After a Megan Konieczka single, Ancia Purdy delivered an RBI triple for the first run of the day.  Then, Vanessa Currie launched a double to right field on the first pitch she saw from Dominican starter Ashlyn Moriarity, which scored Purdy for the 2-0 advantage.

The two-run lead would be cut in half in the top of the third when Leslie Mesa singled home Kayla Rodriguez, but it would be the only run allowed by Lipperd -- and the Seawolves -- on the day.

The offense continued for the Seawolves in the third as Currie brought home another run on an RBI single up the middle that again scored Purdy.  Hayley Condon joined the hit parade and laced a double to right center field, scoring Currie, followed by an RBI double by Holli Brown, bringing home Condon to put Sonoma State up 5-0.

Dominican threatened to put another run across the plate in the fourth when Talavera reached third base after a single, passed ball and a groundout to the right side, but would be left stranded there when Lipperd retired the next two batters to get out of the frame.  From then on, Lipperd and reliever Katy Bihl set the cruise control and kept the Penguins quiet the rest of the way.  In fact, Lipperd retired the next five batters she faced before Bihl came on in the sixth and shut down all six batters that she faced to end the game.  Lipperd earned the victory, improving to 7-2 this season, after giving up both hits and the only run of the day for DUC, walking five and fanning eight.

Karly Harris replaced Moriarity (1-5) in the circle at the start of the fourth inning and kept Sonoma State from plating any more runs.  Harris, who worked the final three innings for the Penguins, allowed just two hits and struckout a batter to keep the Seawolves from blowing the game wide open.

Purdy ended the opener with a 3 for 3 effort at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.  Currie went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI and a run and six other Seawolves each added a hit in the 5-1 win.

GAME 2:  #18 Sonoma State 5, Dominican (CA) 0  --  Box Score

In the nightcap, Amanda Llerena and Bihl combined on a shutout in the pitching circle for Sonoma State, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out nine -- Llerena fanned eight of the nine.

After a scoreless two and a half innings, the Seawolves finally broke through against Penguins starter Harris for a run on an RBI single by Ally Bryant, scoring Olivia Lucchese, who led off the inning with a double to left center field.  It would be the only run for SSU until the bats exploded for four runs in the fifth inning.  Bryant again came up big, delivering a two-RBI double down the left field line, plating Lucchese and Brown.  Then, on the very next pitch, Konieczka almost went yard, but the ball would hit off the top of the wall in right field, allowing Bryant to score for the 4-0 lead.  One more run would cross the plate and it would be the pinch-hitter Bihl to tack on another insurance run, singling home Konieczka to go up 5-0.  Bihl would then stay in the game and replace Llerena in the circle at the start of the sixth inning.

Bihl would run into a bit of trouble in the sixth, however, loading the bases after a pair of base hits and a walk, but the junior left-hander induced an inning-ending groundout to leave the bases full of Penguins and keep the shutout in tact.  Bihl would then retire Dominican in order in the top of the seventh to secure the doubleheader sweep.

Harris (3-5) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in five innings of work before Moriarity took over in the sixth.  Mesa went 2 for 3 in game two, accounting for three of Dominican's six hits all day.

Offensively for SSU, Bryant led the way, going 2 for 3 with three RBI and a run scored, followed by a 2 for 3 effort from Lucchese, who came across the plate twice in the nightcap.    Llerena earned the victory, improving to 5-3 this season.

Sonoma State continues its 14-game homestand Friday when it returns to CCAA action by hosting Cal State East Bay in a four-game series, with doubleheaders on both Friday and Saturday.  First pitch from the Seawolf Softball Field is set for Noon both days.