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Box Score 2 SAN BERNARDINO – It was “Heartbreak Saturday” for the Chico State softball team in its series-ending doubleheader against Cal State San Bernardino. In both games the Wildcats held a late lead, only to see the host Coyotes come from behind in their final at-bat to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. San Bernardino’s heroics produced a pair of one-run wins, edging the ’Cats 4-3 and 7-6 to complete a four-game sweep at Coyote Field.
Chico State has now lost five straight and 11 of its last 12 to fall to 19-21 on the season and 16-12 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play. Fortunately for the Wildcats, Cal State Monterey Bay was swept Saturday by San Francisco State and Cal State Dominguez Hills split with Cal State East Bay, so with eight conference games remaining, Chico State sits in fourth place – and controls the final CCAA Championship Tournament bid – with a three game lead over both the Otters and Toros.
The Wildcat offense generated 22 total hits on the day, with the heart of the order especially productive. Emily McEnaney and Desiree’ Gonzalez combined for nine hits and four runs batted in, while Brynn Lesovsky and Amanda Cordeiro contributed three hits apiece.
Chico State came out of the chute as hot as a house on fire, beginning Saturday’s doubleheader by scoring three runs in the opening inning. Back-to-back doubles by McEnaney and Gonzalez produced the Wildcats’ first run, with Lesovsky and Alex Molina following with RBI singles. San Bernardino answered in the bottom of the first inning, as Alyssa Flores singled home Jacqueline Lopez to make the score 3-1.
The ’Cats missed several opportunities to add to their lead, stranding nine runners – six in scoring position – over the next six innings. Chico State starting pitcher Kayla McConnell kept San Bernardino quiet until the bottom of the sixth, when an RBI double by Jamie Leffingwell cut the Wildcats advantage to one. In the bottom of the seventh, with Cheyenne Sandoval in the pitcher’s circle, the Coyotes took advantage of a bases-loaded error to tie the game, then two batters later Flores shot a base hit through the left side of the infield to plate Darian Manuz to give San Bernardino the 4-3 win.
Taylor Davis got the win for the Coyotes, tossing six-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief, while Sandoval (2-4) was charged with the loss. McEnaney went 3-for-4 to lead Chico State’s 10-hit attack.
The second game of the twinbill was a back-and-forth affair, as San Bernardino scored a run in the first and two more in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. Chico State came roaring back in the top of the third inning – a Coyotes’ throwing error got the Wildcats on the board, then McEnaney doubled home a pair and scored on a Gonzalez single up the middle to put the ’Cats in front 4-3.
San Bernardino tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Chico State went up 6-4 with single runs in the top of the fifth (Marlee Rettig singling home Lesovsky) and sixth (an RBI groundout by McConnell). But once again, the ’Cats let the lead slip away late – a two-out, bases-loaded double off the bat of Victoria Lievanos plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give San Bernardino the lead. The Wildcats put the potential tying run at second base with one out in the top of the seventh, but Davis, back in the circle for the Coyotes, induced a pair of groundouts to end the game and give San Bernardino the 7-6 win as well as the doubleheader and series sweep.
The Wildcats outhit the Coyotes 12-10 in the nightcap, with Gonzalez and Cordeiro collecting three safeties apiece. McEnaney went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Chico State is back in action next Friday and Saturday, traveling to Rohnert Park to take on Sonoma State in the Wildcats’ final regular season road series of the year.
