SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- The second half of the Pacific West Conference series between Vanguard and Dominican softball ended the same as Friday, with each side taking a game.  The Lions used a balanced attack and some tidy defense to garner a 4-1 win in game one, but Taylor Rodriguez returned in game two for another dazzling display for the Penguins, as VU pocketed only one hit in a 2-0 defeat.  The Lions are now 6-10 overall and 2-2 in PacWest play, while the Penguins are 10-8, 2-2.
 
 
VU 4 DUC 1  Mia Hernandez had a double in the top of the first and though no one brought her home, the Lions generated chances in the second and finally punched home two runs in the top of the third.  Kamryn Walker singled up the middle to lead off the frame and Hernandez was hit by a pitch to put two aboard.  Adriana Portillo took a walk to load up the bases and Lilyana Roth slapped a single into center field to bring home one run.  Aeri Corral then skied a fly ball to left that allowed Hernandez to score, handing VU a 2-0 edge.
 
The next Vanguard run came in the top of the fourth as Adrianna Natividad bashed a double down the left-field line and Hernandez smacked a single to bring her in and put the VU advantage at 3-0.  Gaby Ramirez was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the fifth and Amarah Farley blasted a double to center field to put runners on second and third with no outs.  A wild pitch cashed in Ramirez, and though VU did not score again, Brianna Williams was humming along in her second appearance in the series. 
 
The VU starter went all seven innings and fanned four on 114 pitches to collect her first win of the year (1-6).  The only stain on her ledger came in the bottom of the sixth, as an error and a double put the Penguins on the board.  DUC also got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh because of a single and an error, but a ground out and a flyout gave Williams and company the 4-1 victory.
 
Vanguard scored four runs on 10 hits, committed two errors, and left nine runners on base.  Dominican had one run, six hits, two errors, and seven runners stranded.  Natividad, Roth, Farley, and Hernandez all had two hits for VU.
 
VU 0 DUC 2 Rodriguez remains perfect on the season after picking up her fifth victory in the second stanza of the doubleheader.  Though she only struck out two Vanguard hitters, the Blue and Gold netted four base runners in the entire game, with Hernandez collecting the lone hit (a single in the top of the fourth) to deny the Penguin further glory. 
 
Dominican scored both runs in the bottom of the second against Vanessa Robles,, with three singles in a row powering the Penguins to a lead they would not relinquish.  DUC ended with seven hits overall. 
 
Robles dropped to 0-1 and went 1.1 IP, with Mari Ipatzi and Summer Stephens combing for only three DUC hits over the rest of the contest.
 
Why is it Important?  VU is now 15-3 against Dominican all-time and will slot in behind APU, who started the league campaign with a 4-0 mark, though some teams yet to start PacWest action.
 
What's Next?  A reunion with Jessup looms large at the end of next week with the Lions hosting the Warriors for three games.  The first two start at noon on Friday.