CHICO, Calif. – Kaitlyn Azevedo put on her mask, chest protector, and leg guards for her first start of the season behind the plate for the Chico State softball team Saturday. But it was when she brought her bat with her to the dish that she did most of her damage. The freshman notched a three-run home run and two-run double to lead the Wildcats to their strongest offensive output of the season in a 10-3 victory in the first game of a doubleheader against Notre Dame de Namur Saturday. Gwen Cox’s three-run double keyed the Wildcats’ 5-2 victory in the second game to complete the doubleheader sweep and give Chico State its fourth straight win.
Chico State improved to 20-21 on the season with the non-conference sweep. The Wildcats, attempting to get back into the race for a spot in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional, host Sonoma State next Friday and Saturday in a key four-game series at home. Notre Dame de Namur fell to 17-21 with the losses.
Chico State trailed 3-0 early in the first game, but Azevedo’s three-run blast in the fifth gave the Wildcats a 5-3 advantage. It was the first round-tripper of her collegiate career. The Wildcats tacked on five more runs in the sixth, capped by Azevedo’s two-run double to left-center field, to put the game away.
Megan Bera went 3-for-3 and drew a walk, reaching base in all four of her plate appearances. Chelsea Lundberg and Allison Smith each went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Nickie Jarrett and Azevedo also notched two hits apiece, while Cox scored three runs. Krystal Shaw (11-10) earned the win, tossing six innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. She struck out three and walked five. Laura Stokes struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh to secure the win.
Chico State's 10 runs and 15 hits in the game are both season highs.
Notre Dame de Namur again held a lead early on the nightcap. But Cox ripped a bases-clearing double to left-center field in the fourth to put Chico State ahead for keeps, 3-2. The Wildcats added some insurance with a pair of runs in the sixth. Cox got things going with a one-out triple and later scored on a wild pitch. Smith doubled home Megan Bera with the other run.
Lundberg went 2-for-3 and Cox was 2-for-4 to pace the Chico State offense. Lauren Walker (8-8) fired a complete-game four hitter to earn the win. She allowed two runs and struck out six.
Game 1 Box Score
Chico State Wildcats
Notre Dame de Namur at Chico State (Game 1)
Apr 05, 2008 at Chico, Calif. (University Field)
Notre Dame de Namur 3 (17-21)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Huson, Tanya ss.......... 3 2 2 0 1 0 2 4 0
Crist, Lindsay cf........ 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0
Van Meter, Tara rf/lf.... 2 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 2
DeLorenzo, Bria dp/lf.... 3 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0
Gray, Danielle pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Holt, Danielle 1b........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0
Norris, Bryanne 2b....... 3 0 1 1 1 1 1 3 2
Keeney, Cierra lf........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
Jordan, Milana rf....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Moser, Cassie c.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
Elwell, Kate ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
Odo, Tara-lyn 3b......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Langit, Dani ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Carstensen, Laurel p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 26 3 7 3 5 5 18 9 10
Chico State 10 (19-21)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
COX, Gwen 3b............. 4 3 1 0 0 0 1 2 3
BERA, Megan cf........... 3 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 0
LUNDBERG, Chelsea 1b..... 3 1 2 2 0 0 9 0 0
SMITH, Allison ss........ 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 5 0
JARRETT, Nickie rf....... 4 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 2
AZEVEDO, Kaitlyn c....... 4 1 2 5 0 1 7 1 0
JACKSON, Cooper 2b....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0
HAYCOCK, Kristyn dp...... 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
JOHNSON, Christine lf.... 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
SHAW, Krystal p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
STOKES, Laura p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 31 10 15 10 4 2 21 13 9
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Notre Dame de Namur. 102 000 0 - 3 7 1
Chico State......... 001 045 X - 10 15 1
-----------------------------------------
E - Carstensen,; AZEVEDO. LOB - NDNU 10; Chico 9. 2B - Huson, T(11); Crist,
L(8); AZEVEDO(3). HR - AZEVEDO(1). HBP - DeLorenzo, B. SH - Crist, L; COX.
SF - LUNDBERG. SB - SMITH. CS - Huson, T. Reached on CI - Crist, L.
Notre Dame de Namur IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Carstensen, Laurel.. 5.0 13 9 8 2 2 26 30
Van Meter, Tara..... 1.0 2 1 1 2 0 5 7
Chico State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
SHAW, Krystal....... 6.0 7 3 3 5 3 23 30
STOKES, Laura....... 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 3 4
Win - SHAW (11-10). Loss - Carstensen, (3-5). Save - None.
HBP - by STOKES (DeLorenzo, B). PB - AZEVEDO. CI - AZEVEDO.
Umpires - HP: Matthew Pfeifer 1B: Phil Perkins
Start: 12:00 Time: 2:05 Attendance: 205
Game notes:
Kaitlyn Azevedo capped off the fifth with a three-run homer to left center,
her first of the year. The Wildcats sent 11 batters to the plate in the
sixth, picking up five runs on five hits, including a two-run double by
Azevedo, who ended the game with five RBI.
Carstensen, faced 4 batters in the 6th.
Game 2 Box Score
Chico State Wildcats
Notre Dame de Namur at Chico State (Game 2)
Apr 05, 2008 at Chico, Calif. (University Field)
Notre Dame de Namur 2 (17-22)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Huson, Tanya ss.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0
Crist, Lindsay cf........ 3 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 2
Van Meter, Tara lf....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Elwell, Kate pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DeLorenzo, Bria dp....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
Holt, Danielle 1b........ 3 1 1 0 0 1 6 0 2
Norris, Bryanne 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 0
Jordan, Milana rf........ 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0
Moser, Cassie c.......... 3 0 1 2 0 0 4 0 0
Odo, Tara-lyn 3b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2
Keeney, Cierra p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Totals................... 24 2 4 2 5 6 18 6 6
Chico State 5 (20-21)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
COX, Gwen 3b............. 4 1 2 3 0 1 1 3 2
BERA, Megan cf........... 3 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 1
LUNDBERG, Chelsea 1b..... 3 0 2 0 1 0 5 0 0
SMITH, Allison ss........ 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 2 0
JARRETT, Nickie rf....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3
AZEVEDO, Kaitlyn c....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 6 0 0
JACKSON, Cooper 2b....... 2 1 1 0 1 0 4 3 0
BAKER, Brittney dp....... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 3
JOHNSON, Christine lf.... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
WALKER, Lauren p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals................... 25 5 9 4 5 3 21 8 9
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Notre Dame de Namur. 000 200 0 - 2 4 0
Chico State......... 000 302 X - 5 9 0
-----------------------------------------
DP - NDNU 1; Chico 1. LOB - NDNU 6; Chico 9. 2B - Van Meter, T; COX; SMITH.
3B - COX. HBP - JARRETT. SH - SMITH. SB - BERA.
Notre Dame de Namur IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Keeney, Cierra...... 6.0 9 5 5 5 3 25 32
Chico State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
WALKER, Lauren...... 7.0 4 2 2 5 6 24 29
Win - WALKER (8-8). Loss - Keeney, C (7-5). Save - None.
WP - Keeney, C 2; WALKER. HBP - by Keeney, C (JARRETT).
Umpires - HP: Phil Perkins 1B: Matthew Pfeifer
Start: 2:30 Time: 1:45 Attendance: 178
