#21 Cal State San Marcos softball traveled up to Redlands on Sunday and earned a pair of victories, 3-0 in game one and 5-1 in game two.  The Cougars are now 16-11 on the season.

CSUSM got excellent pitching in game one, and enough offense to secure the win.  Melissa Lerno started the game, allowing three hits and four walks in five shutout innings of work.  Lerno struck out seven en route to picking up the win.

The Cougar offense got her some support early, thanks to Alyssa Dronenburg.  The righty slugger pushed her school record home run total to six with a shot over the fence in right-center.

CSUSM tacked on a couple insurance runs in the fifth.  Alicia Vicencio and Ciera Ashman led off the inning with singles, and were sacrificed over by Ashley Estepa.  That set the stage for Lauren Nelson, who drove them both in with a double to right.

Down 3-0, Redlands seriously threatened in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with nobody out.  But Lerno got out of it, thanks to a huge line drive double-play.  Ashley Salvino took over on the mound in the sixth, and closed out the game with a pair of scoreless innings to earn the save.

In game two, the Cougars generated some late offense to pick up the win. 

Down 1-0 heading into the fourth, CSUSM tied it up that inning when Nelson scored on a throwing error.  The Cougars would take the lead in the fifth, as Ashman led off with a triple and Estepa plated her with a double.  After a walk to Dronenburg and base hit by Nelson, the bases were loaded for Erica Coelho, who came through with an RBI single up the middle.  Tasha Stokes added an RBI groundout to cap off the three-run inning.

Meanwhile, CSUSM got an outstanding effort from starter Brenna Sandberg.  The sophomore righty went the full seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits.  Sandberg's control was excellent as usual, as she surrenedered no walks while striking out five.

Erica Coelho put an exclamation point on the game by leading off the seventh with her first home run of the season, and Sandberg pitched an easy seventh to finish off the 5-1 victory.

Cougar softball will next be in action at the Tucson Invitational, starting March 20th.