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Alyssa Dronenburg homered in both halves of Saturday's double-header in San Marcos, as #4-ranked CSUSM swept defending NAIA National Champions Simon Fraser University, winning game one 7-2 and game two 4-3.
The wins improve Cal State San Marcos to 31-6 on the year. Simon Fraser drops to 6-10.
After struggling offensively for most of Friday's split with #12 Columbia College, the Cougar lineup provided pitcher Brenna Sandberg with plenty of support in both of Saturday's games. The resulting wins add two more accomplishments to the Cougars' already impressive resume that includes wins over defending NCAA Division II national champion Hawaii Pacific and #1-ranked Cal Baptist.
It was Simon Fraser though who took the lead early in game one, scoring a run in the third inning and another in the fourth to go up 2-0. The Cougars responded quickly, with Alex Miller leading off the fourth with a base hit and Dronenburg promptly ripping a home run over the opposite field wall in right. Theresa Houle would then draw a walk, Shanti Poston reached on an error, and after a passed ball and a fielder's choice, Sarah Quiambao delivered the big two-out hit, scoring both runs with an RBI single to right.
That put CSUSM up 4-2, and with Sandberg settling in to a groove on the mound, that score persisted until the Cougars put things out of reach in the sixth. Kimi Villalpando reached on an error, Heavin-Lee Rodriguez drew a walk, and Derrisha Lacey dropped down a bunt single to load the bases. Alicia Ingram plated a run with a groundout, and Miller drove in two more with a base hit up the middle.
The 7-2 score would be plenty for Sandberg, who worked a 1-2-3 seventh to close it out. Sandberg allowed 4 hits in her 7 innings of work, working around 4 walks and 3 hit batters to allow just 2 runs. She struck out 6 batters for the game.
In game two, the Cougars got on the board in the first inning, as Alicia Ingram legged out a bunt single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and came home on another RBI single from Miller.
Simon Fraser would take advantage of some lackadaisical Cougar defense in the third, scoring a run and threatening to score more – but a timely line drive double play turned by Poston at shortstop put a quick end to the rally.
That left the game a 1-1 tie going into the fourth, where Dronenburg struck again. Miller led off the inning with a base hit, and Dronenburg absolutely smoked a ball to dead center that may never have been more than 15 feet off the ground, but was just high enough to clear the fence to put her team up 3-1.
Though Dronenburg provided the power, Miller capped off a fantastic day for herself the following inning, doubling in Ingram to make it 4-1.
That run would prove crucial, as Simon Fraser's Brittany Mayers would hit a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 4-3. Sandberg handled the surge though, escaping that inning and working an easy seventh to close out the sweep. She picked up her NAIA-leading 27th win on the season, allowing just 2 hits in 7 innings, walking 4 and striking out 2.
The Cougars will be back at home next Friday to play a double-header against Biola University.
