TURLOCK – It was famine followed by feast for the Chico State softball team Sunday during the final day of the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational. The Wildcats, after winning their first three games of the season Saturday, were shut out 2-0 by Cal State San Marcos Sunday morning, but bounced back to pile up 15 hits later in the day in a 14-2 trouncing of Metro State (Colo.). By virtue of the run differential between all the 4-1 teams at the tournament, the ’Cats were named the Best of the West Invitational champion.
Several Wildcats picked up where they left off Saturday with another outstanding day at the plate. Sam Quadt collected four hits and three runs batted in over Sunday’s two games to give her 10 hits and eight RBI for the five game tournament. Kelli Keefe had a pair of two-hit games Sunday to give her six hits in her first weekend as a Wildcat, while fellow freshman Emily McEnaney has five hits and slugged the first home run of her Chico State career. Senior Hailey Stockman totaled four hits over the weekend – all for extra bases – drove in four runs and scored seven times for the ’Cats. Taylor Hanamaikai added five hits and scored five times for the 4-1 Wildcats.
Sunday’s first game pitted Chico State against Cal State San Marcos, the No. 2 ranked team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The Wildcats were held to just five hits in the contest, with Keefe posting a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Jessica McDermott started in the pitcher’s circle for the ’Cats and performed well, allowing just two runs and six hits while striking out four in six-and-two-thirds innings of work, but suffered the hard-luck loss to fall to 1-1 on the year. Jordan Lamoureux, the second of three San Marcos pitchers, got credit for the win.
Chico State had its chances to get on the board, but stranded eight runners on the basepaths, leaving two aboard in the bottom of the first inning and wasting a leadoff double by Stockman in the fourth. Cal State San Marcos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Sarah Quiambao scored on a two-out double by Kaitlin McGinley; then in the top of the sixth Theresa Houle hammered a solo homer to center to give the Cougars an insurance run.
The Wildcats got the tying run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but with Taylor Hanamaikai aboard, Keefe struck out swinging to end it, giving Cal State San Marcos the 2-0 victory.
BOX SCORE vs. Cal State San Marcos
Chico State wasted little time getting on the board in Sunday afternoon’s game against Metro State, with Quadt singling home Hanamaikai in the top of the first inning. The Wildcats erupted for eight runs in the second, with Keefe and Rachel Failla each delivering two-run singles, Quadt knocking in another run with a base hit, and McEnaney doubling home a pair to give the ’Cats a 9-0 lead.
Chico State scored five more runs in the top of the third inning on RBI doubles by Quadt and Stockman, a Diana Payan sacrifice fly, and McEnaney’s two-run homer to put the Wildcats up 14-0. Sam Baker started in the pitcher’s circle and struck out seven Metro State batters in three innings of work, handing the ball to Kayla McConnell to hurl the final two frames. The Roadrunners scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it was far too little and far too late, as the ’Cats wrapped up the weekend with the 14-2 victory.
At the conclusion of the Best of the West Invitational, Baker, Quadt and Hanamaikai were all chosen to the event's all-tournament team.
BOX SCORE vs. Metro State (Colo.)
The Wildcats open up California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play this weekend, traveling to La Jolla to take on the defending Division II champion and No. 1 ranked UC San Diego in doubleheader action Friday and Saturday.
