Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Playing at home for the first time in three weeks, Cougar softball fought to a split with Hope International in Saturday’s double-header. CSUSM won the first game 9-3, but couldn’t quite complete a late comeback in game two, falling 5-4. CSUSM is now 22-10 on the season, while Hope International, which competes in the GSAC, is 16-16. In game one, Melissa Lerno was her usual self on the mound, dominating the game until it was well in- hand. Lerno started the contest with five no-hit innings, allowing the Cougars to build a big lead before HIU tacked on some late runs. Still, Lerno went the distance, striking out 12 (which has almost become the norm for her) and walking just one. The Cougar offense got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the second inning. Lerno herself got the rally going with a triple, and pinch runner Aly Brown score on a Marly Barth base hit. Lauren Nelson followed that up with a single of her own, Holly Russell sacrificed them over, and Nicolette Nassif and Karen Morizi delivered RBI singles to make it 4-0. They made it 6-0 in the fifth, with Erica Coelho and Lerno singling, and Nelson driving both home with a base hit. After Hope got three runs in the sixth, the Cougars got them right back in the bottom of the inning. Morizi singled, Elizabeth Bush reached on an error, and Coelho knocked an RBI single. After Lerno walked, Barth doubled to give CSUSM a commanding 9-3 lead. Lerno would toss an easy seventh to finish the victory. But game two would not go as smoothly. Cougar starter Ashley Salvino, entering the game with an ERA under 1.00, had a rare rough outing. Back-to-back triples, a double, and a costly error were enough to drive Salvino from the game in the first inning, down 3-0. The Cougars continued to fight, however, and Brenna Sandberg did an admirable job finishing up the game. Sandberg threw 6 1/3 innings in relief, surrendering just two runs (one earned), striking out five and walking none. It wasn’t quite enough. CSUSM quickly recovered the early deficit, scoring twice in the first, keyed by an Elizabeth Bush triple and Lerno RBI single; and once more in the second as Lauren Nelson came around to score on a base hit by Bush. The 3-3 game would persist to the fifth, where Hope made it 5-3 on the strength of a Lisa Teberg triple. The Cougars were able to get one back in the sixth thanks to a Lerno triple and Nelson RBI; but Hope starter Kelsey Mauerhan prevented any further damage, and the game ended 5-4. CSUSM softball will be off for spring break for the next week, coming back next Saturday when they travel to Biola.