Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 TURLOCK – The Chico State softball team is officially in a funk, and unfortunately for the Wildcats it’s happened in front of nearly every Division II program in the West Region. With three more losses Saturday – 2-1 to Azusa Pacific, 5-1 to Saint Martin’s and 2-1 to Montana State-Billings, the ’Cats have dropped five straight decisions at the Mizuno Best of the West Tournament as they head into Sunday’s Consolation Bracket game against Cal State Stanislaus. The Wildcats and Warriors are scheduled to get underway at 8:30 a.m., with the winner taking on Western Oregon at 11 a.m.

Chico State has lost six in a row dating back to the finale of its home series against Cal State Monterey Bay March 30. As a result, the Wildcats have dropped to 18-16 on the season.

The Chico State offense continued to struggle Saturday, producing a combined three runs and 11 hits in its three losses to continue a two-day drought that has seen the Wildcats plate just six runs in their five tournament games.

Desiree’ Gonzalez was the lone Wildcat to hit safely in all three games Saturday, with Alli Cook, Emily McEnaney, Brynn Lesovsky and Brooke Langeloh each picking up a pair of safeties.

In Saturday’s first game against Azusa Pacific, Chico State starter Alex Molina did not allow an earned run in going the distance, but was outdueled by Cougars pitcher Rita Kim. Two early Chico State errors helped Azusa Pacific jump on top 2-0, but an RBI single by Gonzalez in the top of the third inning cut the deficit in half. But that would be the last hit the ’Cats could produce, as Kim set down the final 13 Chico State batters she faced to lock down the Cougars’ 2-1 win. Molina allowed just five hits but saw her season record fall to 11-5.

Chico State opened the scoring in its next contest against Saint Martin’s. McEnaney’s single up the middle plated Taylor Hanamaikai in the bottom of the third inning to give the ’Cats what turned out to be a short-lived 1-0 lead. The Saints struck back with two in the top of the fourth and put the game away by scoring three more in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of Sam Munger. Chico State could only muster one more hit the rest of the way, as Saint Martin’s cruised to the 5-1 victory. Kayla McConnell started in the pitcher’s circle for the Wildcats, but took the loss to fall to 4-8 overall.

Saturday concluded with a tight contest against Montana State-Billings. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Yellowjackets broke through courtesy of a two-run double by Brittney Sanders. Chico State got one run back in the top of top of the fifth when, with the bases loaded, Cook was hit by a pitch to force home Amanda Cordeiro. But the ’Cats missed a chance for more by stranding the bases loaded, and were set down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to come out on the short end of a 2-1 final. Cheyenne Sandoval started in the circle but was charged with the loss to dip to 2-2 on the year.

Sunday’s Chico State-Cal State Stanislaus game can be followed online with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website, as will the game with Western Oregon if the Wildcats defeat the host Warriors.