CHICO - The Chico State softball team held a one-run lead entering the final inning of the first game against Cal State Stanislaus today, but the Warriors tied it with a two-out home run and went on to take the game 5-4. In the late game Chico scored first, but Stanislaus scored three in the second inning and held on for a 5-2 win and sweep of the four-game CCAA series.
In the opener, Chico State (9-15, 4-10 CCAA) looked to be in control, scoring three runs, with two outs in the bottom of the third. Rebecca Johnson got the rally started with a double and came home on Kaitlyn Azevedo’s single to left. Christine Johnson walked to put runners on first and second and lead-off hitter Gwen Cox drove them both in with a double.
Stanislaus (9-13, 6-6 CCAA) chipped away with single runs in the third before the Wildcats scored again in the fourth on another RBI hit by Cox, this one to drive in Rebecca Johnson, who reached on her second of three hits in the game, giving Chico a 4-2 lead.
A Warrior run in the fifth, cut the lead to one, but the big blow came in the top of the seventh inning with two outs. Pitcher Laura Stokes struck out Britney Borba, but a pass ball allowed her to reach first. Stokes got the next batter to ground into a double play to clear the bases, but the next batter Casey Stephenson homered to left to tie the game. The next batter walked and was driven in by a Jennifer Arnold double for the 5-4 win.
In the bottom of the seventh, Chico State loaded the bases on back-to-back hits by Chelsea Lundberg and Allison Smith, sandwiched between two outs, and followed by a walk to Cooper Jackson. But a fly ball to left field ended the game.
Stokes (L, 0-3) pitched two and a third innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits. Lauren Walker pitched into the fifth, giving up three runs on eight hits.
Jessica Gaumnitz (W, 5-4) went the distance for Stanislaus, giving up four runs on ten hits, striking out three and walking three.
In the late game, Chico State scored first with a run in the first on a RBI double by Smith to plate Megan Bera, who reached on a hit and stole second, but the Warriors answered back with three runs on four hits in the top of the second.
Krystal Shaw (L, 4-8) shut down the Warriors through the next four innings, scattering three hits and the Wildcats cut the lead to one with a solo run in the fifth thanks to Smith’s second double and third straight hit of the game to score Bera, who reached on her second hit of the game.
The Wildcats had runners on second and third in the sixth, but a ground ball to short ended the scoring threat. Chico State left a total of ten runners on base in the game.
Stanislaus added two insurance runs, one unearned in the seventh for the 5-2 win. Arnold (W, 4-6) went the distance for Stanislaus, giving up two runs on ten hits and striking out four.
