TURLOCK – With the nation’s No. 15 ranking, the Chico State softball team knows the bullseye will be on its back every time it takes the field. Opening the 2012 season Saturday at the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational, it was the Wildcats that were delivering direct hits time and time again, racking up three victories on the day, shutting out Dominican University 6-0 and Western Washington 8-0 and edging Humboldt State 3-2 at Pedretti Park in Turlock.
Chico State pounded out 23 hits on the day, with Sam Quadt collecting six hits and Taylor Hanamaikai contributing four safeties from the leadoff spot. Hailey Stockman knocked in three runs on the day and scored five times, while Wildcat pitchers allowed just two runs in 19 innings of work to start the season with an impressive 3-0 record.
The ’Cats opened the day and the season using the long ball to best Dominican. Sam Baker highlighted a four-run second inning by homering with two aboard; in the top of the seventh inning, it was Stockman’s turn to go yard, blasting a home run to left-center with Kelli Keefe on base to give Chico State a 6-0 lead. Baker tossed three scoreless innings, and Kayla McConnell pitched four innings of shutout relief to pick up the win; Quadt, Keefe, Hanamaikai and Rachel Failla delivered two hits apiece for the Wildcats.
BOX SCORE vs. Dominican
Chico State needed just five innings to take down Western Washington. Quadt’s bases-load single in the bottom of the first inning plated Stockman, Keefe and Diana Payan, then in the third Quadt started a four-run frame with a two-run double. Failla’s RBI single in the fourth inning put the ’Cats up 8-0, and Jessica McDermott got the final three outs without incident in the fifth to pick up the win, notching her 42nd career complete game and 15th shutout as a Wildcat.
BOX SCORE vs. Western Washington
Saturday’s finale with Humboldt State was a tightly played contest, with Chico State scoring in just one inning – but it was enough a victory. Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third inning, Emily McEnaney singled home Hanamaikai and promptly scored on Stockman’s triple down the right field line. Payan’s RBI single plated Stockman to make it 3-1, but Humboldt answered with a run in its half of the third and later put the potential tying run on second with one out in the top of the seventh, but Baker struck out Sarah Fox and Alicia Reid to end it, giving the ’Cats the 3-2 victory and the Saturday trifecta. Baker allowed just three hits and struck out 10 Lumberjacks in going the distance; McEnaney, Hanamaikai and Quadt each had two hits to lead Chico State’s eight hit attack.
BOX SCORE vs. Humboldt State
Chico State wraps up the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational Sunday with a pair of games – the Wildcats go up against Cal State San Marcos, the No. 2 NAIA team in the nation, at 10:15 a.m., followed by a 12:30 p.m. matchup with Metro State of Colorado.
