Toros Sweep Coyotes, 1-0 and 2-1 in CCAA Softball
April 19, 2002

SAN BERNARDINO -- Valerie Long pitched a three-hit shutout for her seventh win without a loss and Patrina Smith flirted with a perfect game through five innings and staved off a Cal State, San Bernardino rally in the seventh as Cal State Dominguez Hills swept a softball doubleheader from the Coyotes, 1-0 and 2-1 Friday.

More than 100 fans watched at Coyote Softball Park as the Toros improved their CCAA record to 19-9 and cemented their second place position but moved to within a full game of first place UC Davis. The Coyotes dropped to 14-10 in the conference but held onto third place just ahead of UC San Diego.

Coming into Friday's games with the Toros, the Coyotes (27-23-2) were ranked No. 3 in the West Region and the Toros (29-16) No. 6.

In game one, Coyotes pitcher Dawn Onishi was on the short side of a 1-0 game for the second week in a row. She scattered six hits as her record fell to 11-8.

The only run of the game came in the third when Toros' left fielder Courtney Woltz tripled down the left field line and Sasha Shell brought her home with a single.

Nicole Gomez got two of San Bernardino's three hits in the game. The Coyotes stranded five runners but none got past second base against Long, who is now 7-0 on the season with four shutouts.

In game two, Smith retired the first 15 Coyote batters in a row and the Toros got a run for her in the third off Coyotes pitcher Mikki Goldwater (10-7).

After Woltz singled, she was forced at second on a grounder by Shell. Shell then was caught off first but advanced safely to second on a throwing error. Shell went to third on an infield out and then scored on a single by shortstop Danielle Stronks.

San Bernardino broke through against Smith (13-8) in the bottom of the sixth when senior Liz Catron drove a clean single through the middle into centerfield to lead off the inning. However, Smith got out of the inning unscathed.

Cal State Dominguez Hills scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a home run to center by pinchhitter Janie Olivas, her second of the season to make it 2-0.

However the Coyotes rallied on a leadoff single by Tracie Schioppi. She moved to second on a groundout. With two out, Gomez singled, moving Schioppi to third. Catron then doubled to left to score Schioppi and put runners on second and third with two out. However, Smith got Kristine Behen to ground to shortstop to end the game.

Woltz had two of the Toros' six hits off Goldwater while Catron was two for three with an RBI for the Coyotes.

GAME ONE

CSU Dominguez Hills  001 000 0 - 1 6 1 
CSUSB                000 000 0 - 0 3 0

DH - Long and Flores. SB - Onishi and Schioppi. 2B -- Lutz (DH), 3B - Woltz (DH). Win - Long (7-0). Loss - Onishi (11-8). Leading hitters: Lutz (DH) 2-3; Gomez (SB) 2-3; Woltz (DH) 2-2.

GAME TWO

CSU Dominguez Hills  001 000 1 - 2 6 0 
CSUSB                000 000 1 - 1 4 1

DH - Smith and Flores. SB - Goldwater and Schioppi. HR - Olivas (DH). 2B - Flores (DH), Woltz (DH), Catron (SB). Win - Smith (13-8) Loss - Goldwater (10-7). Leading hitters: Woltz (DH) 2-3; Olivas (DH) 1-1; Catron (SB) 2-3. Attendance: 115.