KANEOHE, Hawaii – The Chico State softball team came tantalizingly close to reaching the NCAA Division II College World Series, with two chances to win one game Saturday against No. 3 Hawaii Pacific and earn a spot as one of the Elite 8 in St. Joseph, Missouri. But the host Sea Warriors saw to it that the Wildcats returned to the mainland short of their ultimate goal, beating the ’Cats 11-2 and 5-3 Saturday at Howard A. Okita Field to capture the West Regional crown and abruptly end Chico State’s season.
With Friday’s 5-0 victory in the Super Regional opener, the Wildcats were on the brink of – in just one year – going from the basement of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) to the College World Series. Though they fought all the way to the end and put the potential tying runs aboard in the final two innings of Saturday’s third and deciding game, the ’Cats couldn’t post the one “W” needed to eliminate Hawaii Pacific and keep the Chico State softball season alive. The Wildcats thus finish the year with a 33-21 record.
Hawaii Pacific had little trouble knotting up the best-of-three West Super Regional, as the Sea Warriors combined eight hits and 11 walks issued by Wildcat pitching to cruise to the 11-2 victory in Saturday’s first elimination game. Hawaii Pacific jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning, doing all its damage with two outs – Nicole Morrow’s single to center knocked in Casey Sugihara, then following a walk to Sherise Musquiz, Kozy Toriano’s triple down the right field line plated a pair to make it 3-0. Breanne Patton followed with an RBI single to left to chase home Toriano to up the Sea Warriors’ advantage to four. Chico State sliced the lead in half in the bottom of the third – Courtney Brock singled home Charlotte Honciano and promptly stole second base; Christine Johnson scoring from third when Morrow’s throw to try to nail Brock sailed into center field.
Hawaii Pacific came back with five runs in the top of the fourth inning to blow the game open; the Sea Warriors were the recipients of six free passes in the inning, and used an RBI single, a sacrifice fly and three bases loaded walks to balloon their lead to 9-2. Hawaii Pacific added two more runs in the top of the fifth to make it 11-2 and put the eight-run rule into play…Musquiz then set down the ’Cats in order in the bottom of the fifth to end the contest and force a third and deciding game to determine the West Region champion. Musquiz went the distance to earn the win for the Sea Warriors, with McCarthy taking the loss for Chico State.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
Things started well for the Wildcats in the rubber match, as Brock delivered a two-out single to plate Honciano in the top of the first inning to give Chico State a quick 1-0 lead. Hawaii Pacific responded with four runs in the bottom of the first – the Sea Warriors tied the score when Ciera Senas came home from third on a McCarthy wild pitch…run-scoring singles by Morrow and Patton and an RBI groundout by Melissa Awa followed, resulting in a 4-1 lead. Hawaii Pacific used doubles by Sugihara and Morrow to plate another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to push its advantage to four, but in the top of the fifth the ’Cats struck back, using consecutive two-out singles by Honciano, Brock, Christine Johnson and Sam Quadt to pull to within 5-3.
Chico State was able to get the tying runs aboard in the sixth and seventh innings, but Musquiz and the Sea Warriors denied the Wildcats each time. In the sixth Rachel Failla singled and Jessie Minch reached on an error, but Musquiz struck out Honciano to end the inning and snuff out the rally. Down to their final two outs in the seventh, the ’Cats threatened again, as Quadt delivered a one-out double and Jenna Wermes stroked a two-out single to left. With the potential tying runs aboard, Musquiz was able to get Bec Johnson to ground back to box to end the game and give Hawaii Pacific the 5-3 win and the West Regional championship. Musquiz (30-3) went the distance for the victory, while McCarthy (17-12) suffered her second loss of the day. Even in defeat, the Wildcats went down swinging, outhitting the Sea Warriors 11-7 in the second game – Honciano ended her Chico State career going 3-for-4, while Quadt also collected three hits…Brock chipped in with a pair of RBI singles.
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
While the season ended on a disappointing note, the ’Cats could walk away proud of their achievements – Chico State’s 33 wins were the most of any Wildcat team since 2005 and tied the third highest single-season win total by any softball team in school history.
