CHICO – Perhaps it was frustration that fueled the Chico State softball team Friday in the second game of its doubleheader versus Cal State Monterey Bay. The Wildcats failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities in the opener, eventually falling to the Otters 4-3 in 12 innings. The nightcap was another story – the ’Cats unleashed a punishing 13-hit attack and cruised to an 11-1 win to split the twinbill, and in the process secured one of the four berths for next weekend’s California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament.
With two games left in the regular season, Chico State is 28-14 overall and 19-11 in CCAA play. The Wildcats can finish no lower than third place, and with a sweep of Saturday’s double dip with Monterey Bay could edge past Sonoma State into second place going into the conference tournament. The Otters, knowing they would need to sweep the four-game series with the ’Cats and get some help to reach the postseason, dropped to 23-26 overall and 16-17 in the CCAA with the doubleheader split.
Chico State collected a combined 20 hits on the day, with Sam Quadt accounting for five safeties. Rachel Failla had four hits, including a 3-for-3 performance with four RBI in game two. Britt Wright, Diana Payan and Jackie Munoz also contributed three hits as the Wildcats advance to postseason play for the second straight year under Head Coach Angel Shamblin.
Game one of Friday’s doubleheader saw Chico State jump out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Wright led off with a single and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch. The Wildcats had to a chance to add to their advantage, but Quadt was stranded at third base. Monterey Bay answered in the top of the second inning when Brittany Alvarado plated Jackie Serna with a two-out double off Wildcats starting pitcher Sam Baker, then took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third when Jamie Moon blasted her eighth home run of the year over the left field fence.
Chico State stranded another runner at third base in the bottom of the second, and though they knotted up the contest in the third – Quadt scoring on a base hit by Baker – the Wildcats missed a chance to go back out in front by leaving the bases loaded. Danielle Onken’s sacrifice fly knocked in Serna in the top of the fourth inning to give Monterey Bay a 3-2 lead, and Otters starting pitcher Diane Ortiz retired nine straight Wildcat hitters until Chico State pushed across the tying run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Quadt. But the Wildcats missed a chance to win in regulation, leaving the bases loaded as the contest went into extra innings.
Baker and Ortiz matched each other zero for zero for the next four innings, but Ortiz was superb down the stretch, retiring the final 16 Chico State batters she faced. Monterey Bay scored what turned out to be the game-winner in the top of the 12th when Alvarado doubled home pinch runner Caitlin Wallace; Ortiz then dispatched the Wildcats in order in the bottom of the 12th to lock down the 4-3 victory. Both pitchers went the distance – Ortiz (9-11 on the season) got credit for the win, with Baker (20-6) taking the loss despite giving up just six hits in 12 innings of work.
BOX SCORE - Game One
Game two was decided rather quickly, as Chico State hammered Monterey Bay starter Kylie Linnane, who lasted just an inning-and-a-third. In the bottom of the first, with the bases loaded, Payan scored from third on a wild pitch; Failla followed with a double to right-center to plate Baker and Hailey Stockman to put the ’Cats in front 3-0. The Wildcats put up another crooked number in the bottom of the second – Munoz reached on an error and scored on a Wright single to left; Payan then doubled home two runs and Failla’s RBI single knocked in a pair to give Chico State a commanding 8-0 lead.
The Otters made it an 8-1 contest with a run in the top of the fourth inning, as Shannon Bailey delivered an RBI single to chase home pinch runner Caydi Dommeyer. But the Wildcats responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth – Taylor Hanamaikai doubled in Baker and Failla, then later in the frame scored on an RBI groundout by Wright. Chico State starting pitcher Jessica McDermott handed the ball over to Sarah Marcia, who tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning to put the finishing touches on the Wildcats’ 11-1 win and the doubleheader split. McDermott (7-5) allowed just one hit in four innings of work to earn the victory; Linnane took the loss to fall to 7-8 on the season.
BOX SCORE - Game Two
The series wraps up Saturday with another doubleheader slated to get underway at 11 a.m. It’s also Senior Day, with Chico State’s Sarah Marcia and Christina Wieck being honored in a special ceremony prior to the first game.
Fans not able to make the games in person can follow the action with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website.
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