DVC was swept in a doubleheader against Consumnes River on Friday, March 8.

The first game was a tight one. DVC couldn’t capitalize with the bases loaded in the 2nd inning, and Consumnes River jumped all over the Vikings in the 3rd. With two outs and runners on 1st and 3rd, an error by Gardner and a double gave Consumnes River a 0-2 lead. Torres walked two to load the bases, which was followed by a single, Jenn Quigley error, and an ifield single. Consumnes River left the 3rd inning with a 0-5 advantage.

Gardner atoned for her error with an RBI in the 3rd. DVC then made their strongest push in the 4th: Chelsea Shipley drove in a run with a double, and Jennifer Shue perfectly flicked a 2-RBI single into shallow right-center, cutting to deficit to one, 4-5.

DVC’s offense stalled the remainder of the game, Consumnes River added two more with a 2-run home run, and Consumnes River took the first game 4-7.

The second game started close but ended lopsided.

Consumnes River scored early, putting up a run in the top of the 1st. But DVC quickly tied the game in the bottom of the 1st on a sac-fly by Gardner.

Consumnes River scored one run in both the 2nd and 3rd. Katie Crippen relieved Laura Torres on the mound, and Consumnes River quickly jumped on her with two more runs in the 4th, giving them a 1-5 lead.

Crippen composed herself in the 5th, pitching a 1-2-3 inning, and DVC shortened the lead to three on a Heather Pinkston RBI single.

Consumnes River put the game away in the final two innings: a 2-run home run in the 6th made in 2-7, and a dropped fly ball by Shue in the 7th pushed it to 2-9. DVC was unable to kick start a rally in either inning, going down quietly compared to the first game.

Of that first game, Coach Angie Goularte accredited her team’s loss to a slow start, “especially offensively.” She thought they played pretty well overall. “Our offense was consistent and productive.”

Goularte was more disappointed with the second game. “I felt like we mentally checked out of the game in the 4th.” When asked what areas needed improvement, Goularte emphasized the offense. “We gotta adjust to pitchers, and adjust in the same at-bat. There’s no excuse for going two to three times through the lineup and not adjusting.”