After tossing a no-hitter in yesterday's A.I.I. Conference Tournament opener (a 4-0 win for CSUSM over Ohio Dominican), pitcher Brenna Sandberg may not have been able to top that feat on Friday - but she sure did match it.

Facing #3-seed and host school University of Houston-Victoria, Sandberg once again went the full seven innings without allowing a base hit.  Top seed CSUSM won the game 1-0.

The Cougars improve to 37-13 on the year; Houston-Victoria falls to 35-17 but is still alive in the double-elimination tournament.

The Association of Independent Institutions' Pitcher of the Year is now staking her claim as one of the very best pitchers in the nation.  Sandberg leads the NAIA with 35 wins, as well as 294 innings pitched.  She's also in the top-5 in strikeouts, and has an ERA below 1.30.

In Friday's effort, Sandberg struck out 8 batters and walked 3.  She's the first pitcher in CSUSM softball history to record back-to-back no-hitters.

Her team needed every bit of it too, as UHV pitcher Tasha Rotramel allowed just 3 hits on the day.  The Cougars' lone run came, unearned, in the sixth.  Speedy Alicia Ingram led off with a single, advanced to second on a walk to slugger Alyssa Dronenburg, took third on a fly ball to center by Lauren Nelson, and advanced home when the throw to third got away.

Cougar centerfielder Elizabeth Bush saved the no-hitter with a diving catch in center in the sixth inning.

The A.I.I. Conference Tournament wraps up tomorrow, and the Cougars' opponent is yet to be determined.  Both the winner and runner-up earn automatic bids to the NAIA National Championships in Decatur, Alabama.