ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Chico State Wildcats got a pair of outstanding pitching performances Sunday, but they would only translate to one win in the finale of the three-day Sonoma Invitational – the ’Cats began the day with a 3-1 victory over Grand Canyon University, but finished dropping a 1-0 decision in extra innings to host school Sonoma State.
In Chico State’s first game Sunday, Lauren Walker tossed a complete game five-hitter, only allowing the Antelopes a sixth inning run. Meanwhile, the Wildcats offense staked Walker to an early lead – Charlotte Honciano’s two-out single to center knocked in Bec Johnson in the top of the second inning to put the ’Cats ahead 1-0. Chico State built on the lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings – in the third Sam Quadt reached base on a Grand Canyon error and eventually scored on a Gwen Cox groundout; then in the fourth Honciano delivered again, plating Bec Johnson with a single to left to make the score 3-0. A Tracey Lubken double and a Randi Johns single got Grand Canyon on the board in the sixth inning, but Walker retired the ’Lopes in order in the bottom of the seventh to lock down Chico State’s 3-1 victory. With the win, Walker improved her season record to 4-9; Honciano and Rachel Failla each had two hits for the Wildcats.
Chico State’s second game of the day turned out to be an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel between the ’Cats Jessica McDermott and Lindsay Emmel of Sonoma State. Neither side could score in regulation; McDermott scattered four hits through seven, while the Wildcats could only manage singles by Quadt, Bec Johnson, Christine Johnson and Jesse Minch as Emmel did not allow a Chico State runner past first base through the first seven frames. The Seawolves broke the scoreless deadlock in the eighth inning when Ashley Britton scored from third on a two-out single by Jessica Abelia. The ’Cats, playing the game as the home team, had a chance to tie it up in the bottom of the eighth, but with Kait Manning at second, Emmel struck out Bec Johnson, got Honciano to pop up to shortstop and fanned Reina Andreatta to end it and give Sonoma the 1-0 extra innings victory. McDermott allowed just one unearned run and struck out six in her eight innings of work but was saddled with the tough-luck loss to slip to 4-11 on the season.
The Sunday split gave Chico State four wins in six tries during the Sonoma Invitational and improved the Wildcats’ overall season record to 9-20.
Chico State returns to conference play this Friday and Saturday as they travel to southern California to take on Cal State Dominguez Hills in a pair of doubleheaders. The first twinbill will get underway at 1:00 p.m. Friday, with Saturday’s double dip beginning at 11:00 a.m.
BOX SCORE vs. Grand Canyon
BOX SCORE vs. Sonoma State
