Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN FRANCISCO --- After taking the first game 3-0 over Dominican University (5-21), SF State (13-11) couldn't carry the momentum into the nightcap and fell 3-1 to split with the Penguins Sunday afternoon in non-conference action.

"I think we came out flat today," said head coach Cristina Byrne. "We didn't come out with our best game. I think we came out expecting to win, but not playing to win. Nobody's going to hand you anything in this West Region--any team, up and down. Dominican is a good team and tough to beat. They play good ball."

Marisa Ibarra threw seven strikeouts in the first contest to grab her 10th win of the season (10-4). Emily Gibson added five strikeouts in the nightcap, but surrendered three runs to stand at 3-6 on the season. 

Ashley Huff and Jennifer Lewis each posted multiple hits on the day, with Huff going 2-for-3 in the first game and scoring two runs. Lewis scored the Gators' other run in the opener and went 2-for-3 in both games. Brittany Barcellos was the only other SF State batter to record hits in both games, laying down a pair of singles and scoring the Gators' lone run in the nightcap.

Dominican put the first hit on the board in the top of the first, but couldn't send the runner home to give the Gators the chance to score first. SF State scored one run off one hit in the bottom half of the inning to take an early 1-0 lead. With Lucy Fernandez and Huff on second and third, respectively, Kylie Grabowski's grounder couldn't put her on base, but gave her an RBI as Huff crossed home plate for the score.

In the bottom of the third, SF State added an insurance run off three hits. With one out, Huff singled to right field for her second single of the day. The Penguins managed to grab another putout, but Courtney Gravel found a hole up the middle of the field to join Huff on base. Grabowski stepped up to the plate again and singled to left field, allowing Huff to score her second run for the Gators. Dominican caught Gravel in a pickle, however, and grabbed the third out after a few back-and-forth tosses to end the inning trailing 2-0.

The Gators continued to hold the Penguins off the board and added another run to their tally in the fourth. Lewis started the inning by knocking a pitch toward Dominican's right fielder, but the outfielder couldn't make the catch to allow Lewis to not only reach on base, but make her way to third for her second triple of the season. Lewis plated the Gators' third run as Marisa Andrade took advantage of a Penguin error to reach on base. Despite having bases loaded with two outs, the Gators couldn't get a rally going to add more runs as Dominican found the third out to end the inning in a 3-0 hole.

Needing to score three runs to tie and keep the game alive, Dominican came close to responding in the top of the seventh as the Penguins loaded the bases, but the Gators buckled down and held off the visitors to secure the 3-0 win.

Like it had in the first game, SF State scored first to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Barcellos singled up the middle to start a two-out rally and proceded to steal second. Huff joined Barcellos on base with a free trip down the first base line. Fernandez found a gap on the right side, grabbing an RBI single as Barcellos rounded third to score.

Dominican ended its scoreless streak in the next half inning, scoring two runs off three hits on a two-out rally of its own. Dominique Perry opened the hits with a home run to dead center to tie the game at 1-1 and Kayleigh Klingberg added an RBI double, sending Ashlyn Moriarity in from first base to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead.

The Penguins held the Gators to just one hit an inning for the next three half innings to take to the batter's box again. In the top of the seventh, with two outs, Rachel Santiago singled to right center, just out of reach of a diving Barcellos, scoring Marissa Cordisco from second to put Dominican ahead 3-1.

Desperate for runs, SF State took its chance at bat in the bottom half of the inning, needing two runs to keep the game alive. However, the Gators couldn't get any rally going to fall 3-1 to the Penguins.

"Dominican came out today and did what they had to do to get a win," said Byrne. "We just played average and didn't come to play to win. That's why we're sitting where we're at right now. It's frustrating because I know how much better we are when we come to play. We have to figure out how to get ourselves to play at that high level and high intensity all the time against anybody.

"They'll figure it out," added Byrne. "They have to believe in themselves and see what we see. This is a great team, there's no doubt about that."

SF State will look to bounce back as it returns to California Collegiate Athletic Association action this week as it takes on Humboldt State on Friday and Saturday. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. at the SFSU Softball Field, while Saturday's action will start at 11 a.m.