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 On a day when seniors Kimi Villalpando, Shanti Poston, and Brenna Sandberg were honored, #3-ranked Cal State San Marcos softball swept visiting Vanguard University, 9-1 in game one and 4-2 in game two.

The Cougars are now 36-6 on the year.  Vanguard drops to 22-29.

Prior to the double-header, the teams finished a game that had been postponed from January 28^th.  In the game, which was called due to darkness entering the seventh inning, CSUSM held a 5-1 lead, and though Vanguard would load the bases and brought the tying run to the plate, Sandberg held on to secure the win.

With that settled, the Cougars got down to business, putting together some big innings late in both halves of Wednesday's double-header to earn the sweep.

In game one, the Cougars turned a 1-1 tie into a 9-1 mercy rule victory in the span of three innings, scoring 3 in the fourth, 2 in the fifth, and 3 in the sixth.  Sandberg picked up her NAIA-leading 30^th win of the season, allowing just 2 hits and an unearned run while striking out 3.

In the fourth inning, Heavin-Lee Rodriguez blew the game open with a three-run bomb over the fence in right, making it 4-1.  The next inning, a bases loaded single by Derrisha Lacey drove home two more, and an RBI base knock by Alyssa Dronenburg made it 7-1 in the sixth, setting the stage for Theresa Houle to end the game with a two-run single of her own.

Between games, Villalpando, Poston, and Sandberg were honored on the field along with their families.  Though this is a freshman-heavy team, Villalpando's experience and savvy behind the plate, Poston's steady glove in the field and strong bat, and Sandberg's record-setting dominance on the mound have anchored the team in what so far has been the best season in program history.

Game two would play out similar to game one, with the Cougars breaking through in the middle innings.  Vanguard took an early 1-0 lead and held it all the way until the fifth, with the Cougars hitting the ball hard but seemingly always right at a fielder.  That would change in the fifth inning, as middle-of-the-lineup bats Alex Miller and Dronenburg delivered when it mattered most.  With two on, Miller drove in both with a big double to the gap in right, putting the Cougars up 2-1.  Dronenburg followed that up by crushing her team-leading seventh home run, and just like that CSUSM held a 4-1 lead.

Vanguard would threaten late, hitting a solo home run in the sixth to close the gap to 4-2, but Sandberg  shut down any rallies and closed the contest out.  She went the full 7 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 6 hits, striking out 3 and walking none.

The Cougars will be on the road for a pair of double-headers next week before coming back home to host the A.I.I. Conference Tournament on May 5-7.  Information is available at www.csusmcougars.com/aiisoftball.