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Box Score 2 HAYWARD – Last year, the Chico State softball reached the final day of the regular season before being mathematically eliminated from reaching the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament. One year later, the Wildcats were in contention until the final weekend of conference play, but Cal State East Bay dashed any chance of Chico State finishing among the CCAA's top four teams and continuing into the postseason, as the Pioneers swept Saturday's doubleheader with the 'Cats by scores of 9-5 and 3-2.
The back-to-back losses not only knocked Chico State out of postseason contention, they dropped the Wildcats to 23-25 overall and into sixth place in the CCAA with a 16-18 conference record. Cal State East Bay's doubleheader sweep raised the Pioneers record to 26-25 on the season and 17-17 in CCAA play, but with Sonoma State holding the tiebreaker with East Bay, the Seawolves (which swept a doubleheader Saturday against San Francisco State to improve to 35-19 overall and 19-17 in CCAA play) have now clinched the fourth and final conference tournament slot.
Chico State's offense produced 13 hits in the doubleheader that began Friday and ended Saturday, with Alli Cook extending her hitting streak to six games with three hits. Courtney Brown added a pair of safeties, but it wasn't enough to keep the 'Cats from dropping their third and fourth straight decisions.
The Wildcats took the 4-1 lead they forged Friday into Saturday's resumption of game one of the series-opening doubleheader, and threatened to add more in the top of the second inning, but instead left the bases loaded. Cal State East Bay roared out in front 5-4 in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by Chelsie Kakela – her second round-tripper of the game – and a two-out, two run single by Alex Vela. The Pioneers extended their advantage to 9-4 with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth – Meli Sanchez's two-out single plated a pair, then later in the frame two runners came home courtesy of Wildcat wild pitches.
A two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh inning by Brynn Lesovsky got Chico State to within four, but East Bay pitcher Jordan Abel got Alex Molina to ground out to end the ballgame and give the Pioneers the 9-5 win. Cook had two of the Wildcats' seven hits in the contest, while Kelli Keefe had a single and reached base three times. Molina (11-12) started in the pitcher's circle for the 'Cats but lasted just 4.2 innings to take the loss.
Chico State drew first blood in the nightcap, as third inning singles by Cook, Kayla Barber and Emily McEnaney gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Amanda Cordeiro went big fly in the top of the fourth inning, launching a solo shot to left center to put the 'Cats up 2-0, but East Bay knotted up the contest in the bottom of the fourth when Ali Cerminara cracked a two-run home run to right-center.
The Wildcats tried to retake the lead by putting two aboard in the top of the sixth inning, but were turned away by East Bay starting pitcher Emily Perlich. The score stayed tied until the bottom of the seventh, when Mandy Dale's infield single plated pinch runner Shaunn Purkey from third base, giving the Pioneers the walk-off 3-2 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Cheyenne Sandoval started in the circle for the 'Cats and allowed just four hits in going the distance for the second time this season, but was saddled with the hard-luck loss to dip to 3-6 on the year.
Chico State and Cal State East Bay wrap up the regular season Sunday with a series-ending doubleheader starting at 10 a.m. at Pioneer Field.
