Box Score
Box Score
#4-ranked Cal State San Marcos got off to a strong start at the NAIA Softball National Championships on Thursday, needing just five innings to defeat Asbury (KY) 9-0.
The win improves the Cougars to 41-9 on the year, and 1-0 in pool play at the National Championships, which are being held in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Asbury drops to 20-11.
Playing after a two-week layoff, the Cougars showed no signs of early rust, scoring twice in the first inning. Alex Miller drew a two-out walk, and fellow-All-Conference selection Alyssa Dronenburg plated her with a base hit to right. Dronenburg would score on an error.
The middle of the Cougar lineup struck for two more in the third, with Dronenburg booming an RBI double to right that plated Alicia Ingram, then scoring on a Theresa Houle base hit to center. That drove Asbury starting pitcher Maris Harreld from the game with a final line of 2.2 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts.
On the mound, pitcher Brenna Sandberg went to work shutting down the Asbury offense. The All-American and two-time Conference Pitcher of the Year was in fine form, needing just 70 pitches to finish off what would be a 5-inning, 13-strikeout, 1-hit gem of a shutout.
CSUSM would add two more in the fourth to go up 6-0, then put the contest in mercy rule range with a three-run fifth. Shanti Poston, Kimi Villalpando, and Heavin-Lee Rodriguez started the inning with three straight base hits, and a Kaitlin McGinley sacrifice fly, wild pitch, and Ingram ground out plated the three runs.
Sandberg did the rest, striking out all three Asbury hitters in the fifth to close out the game via the 8-run mercy rule.
Dronenburg finished 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Ingram and leadoff hitter Derrisha Lacey added a pair of hits each as well. Asbury's only hit off of Sandberg came in the first inning, and Sandberg retired 14 of the final 15 batters she faced.
CSUSM will continue pool play tomorrow at 9:00 AM CDT against Morningside (IA), who lost 10-0 to Bethel (IN) this morning. CSUSM and Bethel are scheduled to face off on Saturday in the final game of pool play. The team with the best record will advance to the tournament's final round, starting Monday.
