Cougar softball broke its four game losing streak on Sunday, defeating Holy Names in both ends of a double-header.  The Cougars won game one 6-0, then went on to win game two 4-1.

CSUSM is now 6-7 on the season.

Cougar ace Melissa Lerno was back in her usual form for game one, throwing a complete game shutout.  She allowed six hits in her seven innings of work, walking one and striking out six.

Meanwhile, the Cougar offense provided her with plenty of early support.  Ciera Ashman led off the game with a double, and came in on an Ashley Estepa sacrifice fly.  Alyssa Dronenberg would then single, and Erica Coelho doubled her home, making it 2-0.

The lead would be expanded in the second, as Tasha Stokes started what would become a four-run rally with a leadoff base hit.  Shanti Poston, Estepa, and Dronenberg all recorded RBI's in the inning.

That would be all Lerno needed, as she worked through Holy Names' offense while working around base runners.  In the seventh inning, Lerno was able to pitch around a leadoff triple to finish off the 6-0 shutout.

Game two followed much the same script, with the Cougars getting solid pitching on the mound and timely early hitting.

Brenna Sandberg started the game for CSUSM and went the distance.  While not overpowering, Sandberg demonstrated excellent control, movement, and ability to work under pressure.  She allowed just five hits and one unearned run in seven innings, walking none and striking out three.

The offense came from a familiar source:  freshman slugger Alyssa Dronenberg.  In the third inning, Dronenberg stepped to the plate with two on and none out, and blasted a home run to dead center field.  The three-run shot is Dronenberg's team-record fourth of the season.

That would be all Sandberg would need, even though her poise was put to the test in the seventh.  Holy Names loaded the bases in that final frame – but Sandberg got an easy grounder to finish off the 4-1 win.

Cougar softball will look to continue the momentum after a week off when they host Bethany at Palomar College on March 2nd.