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Box Score 2 CHICO – It's doubtful that either the Chico State or Cal State San Bernardino softball teams will hold fond recollections of Sunday's series-ending doubleheader. All the Wildcats and Coyotes know is that despite a combined 27 runs, 34 hits, 18 walks and 12 errors, they both came away with wins – albeit ugly – to split the rain-extended four-game set at University Softball Field. San Bernardino won Sunday's opener 9-5, with the 'Cats taking the nightcap 7-6.
The doubleheader split moves Chico State to 17-14 on the season, with the Wildcats remaining in fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 13-11 conference record. Cal State San Bernardino is now 20-15 overall and 12-12 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats pounded out 18 hits on the day, with Alli Cook going 5-for-8 while scoring three times, knocking in two runs and posting a pair of steals. Sammi Ridgway had three hits and two RBI; Emily McEnaney delivered a pair of extra-base hits and drove in three runs, and Tori Zimmermann contributed two hits and two RBI in the nightcap. Courtney Brown collected two hits in game one of the double dip.
Cal State San Bernardino took command early in the opener of Sunday's twinbill, sending 11 batters to the plate and plating five runs in the top of the second inning. The Coyotes went up 7-0 with two scores in the top of the third, but Chico State got them back in its half of the frame when Marlee Rettig scored on a Cook single and a San Bernardino error, followed by Cook crossing the plate on a McEnaney sacrifice fly.
San Bernardino made it a 9-2 contest with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, but the Wildcats refused to lie down, battling to the very end. McEnaney tripled home Cook in the bottom of the sixth, and RBI singles by Ridgway and Cook in the last half of the seventh brought the 'Cats to within four runs. But San Bernardino pitcher Cassandra Williams was able to secure the final two outs without further incident, and the Coyotes came away with the 9-5 victory.
Williams improved to 11-7 in going the distance for San Bernardino, with Brooke Langeloh (5-3) taking the loss for Chico State. Cook collected three of the Wildcats' eight hits in the contest.
Game two saw the 'Cats jump out in front, handing starting pitcher Alex Molina a big seven-run cushion. In the bottom of the first inning Cook punched a one-out single through the right side, stole second and came home on McEnaney's double to center. RBI singles by Ridgway and Cook produced two runs in the bottom of the second, then in the third Rettig and Brown scored on base hits by Zimmermann and Kelli Keefe. In the bottom of the fourth Desiree Gonzalez came home from third on an error and Zimmermann knocked in Rettig with a single to right field to put Chico State on top by a seemingly comfortable 7-0 margin.
Molina allowed just two hits through the first four innings, but Cal State San Bernardino climbed back into the contest with four runs in the top of the fifth. In the sixth the Coyotes scored twice and put runners on second and third with just one out, but Langeloh, on in relief of Molina, got Victoria Lievanos to ground out and struck out Mary Menicucci to get the Wildcats back to the dugout with a one-run lead. San Bernardino threatened again in the top of the seventh, getting the potential tying and go-ahead runs aboard with only one out. The 'Cats quickly squelched the rally and put a capper on the festivities when McEnaney turned a grounder by Thalia Ortiz into a game-ending double play, and Chico State escaped with the 7-6 win and the doubleheader/series split.
Molina (8-7) went four-and-a-third innings to got credit for the win, with Langeloh picking up her second save of the season. Ridgway, Cook and Zimmermann each had two hits as Chico State racked up 10 safeties in the nightcap.
The Wildcats travel to central California next weekend to take part in the three-day Tournament of Champions, presented by the Turlock Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Chico State takes on Montana State-Billings, Western Oregon and Central Washington Friday; Simon Fraser and Western Washington on Saturday, with tournament bracket play scheduled for Sunday's final day.
