TURLOCK – Wet grounds at Pedretti Park delayed the start of the Chico State softball team’s 2010 season by over two hours, but based on the results of Friday’s first day of the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational, is was certainly worth the wait – the Wildcats rewarded Angel Shamblin with her first two wins as Chico State head coach, beating UC San Diego 3-2 in eight innings, then wrapping up the day’s action by downing San Francisco State 4-2.
It took most of regulation for Chico State’s offense to get untracked in the opening game against UC San Diego. The Wildcats were held scoreless on just four hits through the first six innings, while the Tritons used a single run in the first inning and a Katie Belanger solo homer off Chico State starter Jessica McDermott in the sixth to build a 2-0 lead. The ’Cats came alive in the top of the seventh inning, tying the score on RBI singles by Sam Quadt and Bec Johnson. Chico State pushed across what proved to be the winning run in the top of the eighth as newcomer Courtney Brock scored from third on a Reina Andreatta sacrifice fly. Kacie McCarthy, coming in from the bullpen in her Wildcat debut, wrapped up three innings of scoreless relief by stranding the potential tying run at third in the bottom of the eighth to secure Chico State’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory.
BOX SCORE vs. UC San Diego
McCarthy got the start for the Wildcats against San Francisco State, and she did not disappoint, tossing a complete game six-hitter and striking out seven. Chico State collected 10 hits in the game and provided McCarthy with some early run support, plating three in the top of the third inning – Bec Johnson got the ’Cats on the board with a two-run single, then Rachel Failla picked up a RBI with a sacrifice fly to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead. The Gators, with runs in the third and fifth inning, shaved Chico State’s advantage to one, but in top of the seventh the Wildcats tacked on a big insurance run as Andreatta singled home Brock to make it 4-2. McCarthy took it from there, retiring San Francisco State in order in the bottom of the seventh to lock down the Chico State victory.
BOX SCORE vs. San Francisco State
Quadt, Charlotte Honciano and Bec Johnson all had a combined three hits on the day to lead the Wildcat offense, with Johnson collecting three RBI.
Chico State is back in action Saturday in day two of the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational, taking on host school Cal State Stanislaus at 1:00 p.m., followed by a 3:30 p.m. contest against West Virginia’s Davis and Elkins College.
