Playing their first game in a couple weeks, CSUSM's 20th-ranked softball team went on the road and split against Vanguard University on Tuesday, winning game one 3-0 but falling in game two 2-0.

CSUSM moves to 8-6 on the season, while Vanguard is now 10-6.

Game one was dominated by Cougar starter Brenna Sandberg, who threw seven innings of three-hit shutout ball.  Sandberg struck out a season-high 10 while walking just 1 en route to picking up her seventh win of the season.

The entire offense came with two outs in the first inning.  Alyssa Dronenburg got things going with a double, and Lauren Nelson scored her with an RBI single.  Ciera Ashman then reached on an error, and Erica Coelho provided another RBI base hit, which, combined with an error in the outfield, allowed a pair of runs to score to make it 3-0.

That would be all Sandberg needed, as she stranded a pair of runners in the fourth and fifth in what would be Vanguard's only real scoring chances of the contest.

Game two would not go as well, however, as the CSUSM offense was shut down by Vanguard starter Katharine Jablonski.  Cougar outfielder Alicia Ingram broke up Jablonski's bid for a no-hitter in the seventh and final inning with a base knock to right, but that would be one of only two base runners CSUSM had in the game. 

Sandberg would be the tough-luck loser, as Vanguard took advantage of an error in the fourth inning to score a pair of unearned runs - the only runs Sandberg would allow in 13 innings pitched for the afternoon.

The Cougars will next play at home against Tennessee Wesleyan next Tuesday.