March 31, 2006
Box Score
vs. Humboldt State vs. Western Washington Univ.
Carson, CA -- The No. 8-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills softball team used Kristine Minter's (Chula Vista, CA/Hampton University) arm and Kate Groden's (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/SE Missouri Univ.) bat for a 3-0 shutout of Western Washington in the late game after dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker to No. 3-ranked Humboldt State in the 2006 Tournament of Champions opener, hosted by Cal State Stanislaus. With the split, the Toros move to 24-4 on the season.
Against the Vikings, the two teams combined for just five hits over the first four innings as Minter and WWU starter Jackie Quint shut down the opposing offenses in the early going. After Minter set down the Vikings in order in the 5th, an Araceli Martinez (Downey, CA/Warren HS) single, Natalie Greco (Downey, CA/Warren HS) hit by pitch and Cindy Perry-Brown (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) fielder's choice in the bottom half of the inning set the stage for Groden, who hammered an 0-2 Quint offering deep over the center field fence to give CSUDH a 3-0 lead.
Minter would do the rest, shutting down the final six WWU batters to pick up her 9th win of the season (9-0). The Chula Vista native fanned six batters against just one walk while Groden's 2-for-3 performance paced the Toros at the plate.
In the first match-up featuring two of the nation's top teams, Humboldt State took a sloppy 2-1 decision as both teams committed two errors in the game, leading to all three unearned runs. The Toros had a golden opportunity in their first at-bat as Perry-Brown and Lori Moreno (Los Angeles, CA/California HS) connected for leadoff singles, but HSU starter Lizzy Prescott would battle her way out of the jam.
Two innings later, however, Prescott would not be so fortunate as the second Perry-Brown leadoff single would start a CSUDH rally, and an ensuing stolen base and HSU error would plate the senior speedster.
HSU, though, would answer right back, using a costly Toro fielding miscue to plate both runners in the inning, with the decisive blow coming on a Natalie Galletly 2RBI single on the first pitch from Toro starter Amy Thomas (Barstow, CA/Barstow HS), who fell to 7-2 on the season. HSU's Prescott was unhittable the rest of the contest, fanning seven Toros to improve to 12-1.
The Toros continue the 2006 Tournament of Champions tomorrow with contests against Hawaii Pacific, Western Oregon and Chaminade University to conclude cross-pool play.
