GALVESTON, Texas – Cameron Niedenthal crushed four home runs, including a grand slam, to lead Lamar State College Port Arthur to an NJCAA Region 14 sweep of Galveston College on Saturday afternoon.
The Seahawks took wins of 13-6 and 10-4 to move to 2-2 in the conference road doubleheader, improving to 10-14 overall. The Hawks are in the midst of a five-game win streak.
"This was as exciting a day as I've had as coach of the Seahawks," said head coach Vance Edwards. "We struggled at the start of the season but they showed real determination today. They are proving every game just how much they want to win. Today was a perfect example of that."
The Seahawks amassed seven home runs over their two games against Galveston College, a perennial Region 14 front-runner.
LSCPA returns to action on Monday against Baton Rouge Community College in a non-conference doubleheader at Martin Field in Port Arthur. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. with the second game following 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
LSCPA 13, Galveston College 6
LSCPA came into the first game of the doubleheader looking for a quick advantage and found it in a grand slam home run by West Orange-Stark HS graduate Gabby Tims in the first inning.
Celeste Salazar collected a one-out single to start the setup for Tims, while Niedenthal reached on an error that put Salazar on second base. Kaitlynn Samarripa earned a full-count walk as Tims then stepped to the plate for the 4-0 lead.
Galveston College scored a run in the bottom of the first for the 4-1 difference, where it would stay until the Seahawks went back on the attack in the fourth.
Brianna Ramirez walked to start the inning. Later, with two outs, Salazar homered on a line drive to center field for a 6-1 LSCPA lead. Niedenthal stepped up for the next at-bat and took a solo home run over the left field wall for the 7-1 advantage.
The Hawks added two more in the fifth Savannah Trahan hit a ground ball to short, enabling pinch runner Riana Tovar to score from third for an 8-1 lead. Tovar was running for catcher Harlie Collier who had doubled earlier in the inning.
Salazar earned the run batted in with a bases loaded walk as she worked through 11 pitches in the marathon at-bat, fouling off six times before seeing the ball 4. Trahan crossed the plate for the 9-1 lead.
Galveston utilized a three-run home run to cut the Seahawks' lead to 9-4. Any hopes of a comeback faded, though, when Niedenthal crushed a seventh-inning line drive over the center field fence for a grand slam and a 13-4 lead.
The Niedenthal shot chased home Alexa Gracia, Trahan, and Salazar who had reached base on an error, fielder's choice and single in that order.
Galveston College added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh for the 13-6 final.
Niedenthal finished 2 for 5 with five RBIs and three runs scored, while Tims was 2 for 4 with four RBIs. Salazar found her lucky number going 3 for 3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Aside from her home plate exploits, Niedenthal pitch a full game in the circle, allowing two earned runs on 11 hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
LSCPA 10, Galveston College 4
The Whitecaps came into Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader looking to avenge the Game 1 loss and did well through the first three innings.
Galveston College led 1-0 after the first inning only to see the Hawks tie the game 1-1 in the top of the second on a Tovar single. Collier collected the one-out single, followed by a Gracia double to set up Tovar's RBI single to short.
The Whitecaps got out front again 2-1 in the bottom of the second only to be matched by LSCPA in the top of the third when Niedenthal busted a solo home run to center to tie the game at 2-2.
A Galveston College home run ball in the bottom of the third to go back ahead 3-2. In the top of the fifth, the Seahawks would come roaring back when Gracia started the inning with a single, followed by a Trahan double and a Salazar two RBI-double for a 4-3 lead.
Samarripa picked up an RBI double to score Salazar for a 5-3 advantage for the Hawks.
Once again looking for the comeback, Galveston scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to pull to within one at 5-4.
The home run clinic continued in the top of the seventh when Trahan took one to left field and Niedenthal blasted her fourth long ball of the day for a 7-4 lead. The Seahawks put the game out of reach when Tovar doubled home Tims, Collier and Gracia who had reached on back-to-back errors and a Galveston fielding error.
The 10-4 LSCPA advantage held through the bottom of the seventh as Spittler worked through a two-out bases-loaded jam.
The Hawks had eight extra-base hits with Gracia, Salazar, Smarripa, Tovar and Trahan each collecting doubles to go with Niedenthal's pair of homers and Trahan's shot over the fence.
Niedenthal finished 3 for 4, while Collier, Trahan, and Tovar all went 2 for 4 as the Hawks put together 14 hits as a team.
Samarripa got the win in the pitcher's circle after working 4.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Spittler earned the save after 2.2 innings, allowing no earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts.