Brenna Sandberg earned her 19^th and 20^th wins of the season as Cougar softball rolled to a double-header sweep of Vanguard at home on Saturday, winning game one 8-0 and game two 7-0.

#24 CSUSM improves to 21-9 this season, while Vanguard drops to 20-16.

While the Cougar offense certainly did its part, many of the scoring opportunities in game one came from early struggles by a Vanguard defense that committed a staggering five errors in the first inning.  Still, the Cougars were able to take advantage with their usual balanced attack, as eight different players recorded a hit. 

After the big first inning, the CSUSM came back for more in the fourth to put the game out of reach.  Shanti Poston led off with a base hit, and after a fly out, Ashley Estepa ripped her first home run of the season directly down the left field line, just staying on the right side of the foul pole.  Elizabeth Bush then singled and Alicia Ingram beat out a bunt single, and after an out, Alyssa Dronenburg legged out an infield single of her own to load the bases.  That brought up Lauren Nelson, who drove a huge double to left-center to score two runs and make it 8-0.

Sandberg, who was her usual dominant self on the mound, ended the game with a scoreless fifth thanks to the mercy rule.  Sandberg went all 5 innings, giving up no runs on just 2 hits and no walks while striking out 5.

Game two would proceed much the same way, as CSUSM jumped out to a big early lead and was never threatened.  Sandberg continued her dominance, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning before it was broken up, and giving way to Chanel Rose in the seventh.  Sandberg went 6 strong innings, surrendering just 1 hit on no walks and striking out 3.

After Ingram essentially stole a run with her speed in the first, the Cougar offense put up three more runs in the second.  Nelson led off with a single, and Coelho reached on an error to put two on for Poston, who added an RBI single.  Coelho was able to score on a throwing error as well.  Poston would eventually score on a two-out surprise bunt single by Bush to put CSUSM up 4-0.

Another Poston RBI base hit made it 5-0 in the third, and the Cougars continued to add to the lead in the fifth.  Nelson doubled, Coelho singled, and Poston completed an excellent 3-for-3, 3 RBI game with yet another base hit.  Walks to Estepa and Bush pushed another run across to put CSUSM up 7-0, where the game would eventually end thanks to the work on the mound from Sandberg and Rose.

The Cougars will be back at home on Monday to take on Simpson University in a 2:00 PM double-header.