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Box Score 2 CHICO – Fans saw a little bit of everything Friday afternoon as Chico State and Humboldt State squared off at University Softball Field – and the end results went the Wildcats’ way in both games of the series-opening doubleheader. Kayla McConnell tossed a six-hit shutout in the opener as Chico State downed the Lumberjacks 5-0, then after seeing a 1-0 lead get away in the seventh inning of the nightcap, Emily McEnaney staged an epic eighth inning at-bat that ended with a walk-off RBI double to give the Wildcats a 2-1 victory and the sweep of the twinbill.
Chico State, winner of six of its last seven games, improved to 8-7 on the season and 6-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with Friday’s victories. Humboldt State dropped to 8-7 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
The Wildcats collected eight hits in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, but it was three Humboldt State errors that help stake McConnell to a big early lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Brynn Lesovsky reached on a two-base error and came home on a Kayla Barber single. Marlee Rettig followed with an RBI single through the left side, plating Taylor Hanamaikai to put Chico State on top 2-0.
In the bottom of the third the ’Cats loaded the bases with one out, bringing Taylor Hanamaikai to the plate. Desiree’ Gonzalez came home from third on a Hannah Williams wild pitch, with catcher Courtney Hiatt’s wild throw to the plate sailing down the left field line to allow Lesovsky to score from second. Hanamaikai reached on a hit by pitch and promptly stole second, with the throw-down sailing into center field to allow Amanda Cordeiro to score to extend Chico State’s advantage to 5-0.
That would be more than enough for McConnell, who did not allow a Humboldt State baserunner past second base the rest of the way to post her first shutout of the season. McConnell (2-4) struck out seven and walked just one in going the distance; Gonzalez and Barber each collected two hits for the ’Cats.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in game two of Friday’s twinbill, as Kelli Keefe led off Chico State’s half of the first inning with a single and came around to score on a Lizzie Perez wild pitch. Alex Molina, the reigning CCAA Pitcher of the Week, didn’t have her best stuff, but was able to keep Humboldt State off the scoreboard until the top of the seventh inning. With Chico State just two outs away from the win, Julie Pena breathed new life into the Lumberjacks when she spanked a solo homer to left, tying the score at one apiece. The ’Cats got the potential winning run to second base with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Perez wiggled out of the jam to send the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Molina issued a pair of walks, and with two outs, Cyndi Chavez sent a sharp grounder to second. Keefe smothered the ball with a dive, then got up and threw a strike to Lesovsky who tagged out Carly Perkins at the plate to end the inning, turning the Lumberjacks away without a score. In the bottom of the eighth, Cook reached base on an error, setting the stage for McEnaney, who after fouling off nine – that’s right, nine – two-strike pitches, lined a double to the left-center field gap. Cook scored all the way from first to give Chico State the 2-1 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Molina went all the way in the pitcher’s circle for the ’Cats to improve her season record to 5-2. Hanamaikai had two of Chico State’s six hits in the contest.
The Wildcats and Lumberjacks wrap up their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Fans who can’t make it to University Softball Field in person can follow the action online with Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
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