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Box Score 2 CHICO – There wasn't a whole lot of run production generated by either the Chico State or Sonoma State softball teams in Friday's series-opening doubleheader at University Softball Field. But with a postseason berth at stake, the two low-scoring affairs made for some great nail-biting entertainment. The host Wildcats took both ends of the twinbill by the slimmest possible margin, nipping the Seawolves 1-0 in the opener, then scoring a run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.
Chico State improved to 23-21 overall with Friday's wins, but more importantly, in the battle for the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament's fourth and final berth, moved past Sonoma State into fourth place in the CCAA standings with a 16-14 conference record. The doubleheader sweep dropped the Seawolves to 31-17 on the season and 15-15 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats produced 15 hits on the afternoon – a dozen coming in game two of the double dip. Alli Cook and Brynn Lesovsky collected three hits apiece over the two contests, with Kelli Keefe and Amanda Cordeiro each adding a pair of safeties.
Friday's opening game featured a classic pitcher's duel between Chico State's Alex Molina and Amanda Llerena of Sonoma State. The Seawolves were able to only scratch out five hits against Molina, while the Wildcats could manage only three off Llerena. The 'Cats scored what turned out to be the only run of the contest in the bottom of the third – Keefe led off the inning with a base hit, was sacrificed to second, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and came home on a wild pitch.
Molina made the one run stand up, though Sonoma State put runners in scoring position in two innings and hit into a double play to short-circuit another potential scoring threat. In the top of the seventh, Ancia Purdy led off with a single for the Seawolves, then after a foul out stole second and third base. Molina, though, rose to the challenge, striking out pinch hitter Ally Bryant and getting Angelica Mendoza to ground out to end it, giving Chico State the 1-0 victory.
Molina (11-10) tossed her fifth shutout and 13th complete game of the season in notching the victory. The senior now has 24 career wins as a Wildcat to go along with 30 complete games and seven shutouts.
Game two of Friday's twinbill saw Sonoma State draw first blood, when Aubrie Tolliver's sacrifice fly plated Bryant to give the Seawolves a 1-0 advantage. The Wildcats left the bases loaded in their half of the second, but broke through to take the lead in the bottom of the third on back-to-back RBI doubles by Emily McEnaney and Desiree' Gonzalez. The 'Cats loaded the bases again in the fourth and sixth innings, but came away empty each time. Sonoma State was still trailing 2-1 before knotting up the contest in the top of the sixth, as Megan Konieczka doubled home Hayley Condon.
The game looked like it was headed into extra innings as Gonzalez and Cordeiro grounded out to lead off the bottom of the seventh. But consecutive singles by Courtney Brown and Gabby Palmer put the potential winning run in scoring position and set the stage for Lesovsky, who promptly lined a single to center to plate pinch runner Katy Weger, giving Chico State the walk-off 3-2 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Brooke Langeloh (8-6) tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to get credit for the win. Cook, Cordeiro and Lesovsky each had two hits in the victory.
The Wildcats and Seawolves conclude the four-game series with a Saturday doubleheader slated to get underway at noon. Saturday is also Senior Day, with the 'Cats honoring outgoing seniors Kayla Barber, Scotie Walker and Alex Molina in a special ceremony prior to game one.
