CHICO – The offense was a little late in arriving Thursday for the Chico State softball team's season-opening doubleheader against Hawaii-Hilo, but after nine straight scoreless innings – seven of which came in a 2-0 loss in game one – the Wildcats finally got the bats cooking midway through the nightcap, with a Tori Zimmermann home run capping off a 4-1 victory over the visiting Vulcans to earn a split of the twinbill at University Softball Field.

 

Zimmermann and Emily McEnaney were the lone Wildcats to enjoy a multi-hit day, with both posting a pair of safeties. Brooke Langeloh, in the pitcher's circle for Chico State in game two, struck out a career-high eight batters and came within two outs of tossing a shutout in going the distance for the 10th time as a Wildcat.
 
Game one of Thursday's double dip featured a pitcher's duel between Haley Gilham, making her first-ever start as a Wildcat, and Hawaii-Hilo's Vanessa Salinas. Gilham tossed a complete game, and suffered just one rough inning, as the Vulcans plated two runs in the top of the second. Unfortunately for Chico State, that would turn out to be all Salinas would need – a fourth inning double by Zimmermann was the first hit of the day for the 'Cats, and a leadoff single by Alli Cook in the bottom of the seventh was the only other safety Chico State could muster. The Wildcats got the tying run to the plate in the final frame, but McEnaney and Desiree' Gonzalez both flied out to end it, giving Hawaii-Hilo the 2-0 victory.
 
Hawaii-Hilo had a couple of scoring opportunities early in the second game, but was turned away each time by Langeloh. The Wildcats broke the seal in the bottom of the third inning when Ashley Huff led off with a single, stole second and third, and scored on a Kelli Keefe single to center. Chico State went up 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Huff coaxed a bases-loaded walk off Vulcans starter Danielle Wilson to force home McEnaney, and one batter later Marlee Rettig scored on an infield single by Cailin Garmon.
 
Zimmermann provided the exclamation point to lead off the Wildcat fifth inning, blasting a line-drive homer over the left field fence to extend Chico State's advantage to 4-0. Hawaii-Hilo avoided a shutout by pushing across a run in the top of the seventh, but Langeloh easily retired the final two Vulcans hitters to lock down the 'Cats' 4-1 win and the doubleheader split.
 
The Wildcats return to University Softball Field Sunday to host Southern Oregon University in a doubleheader beginning at noon. Fans unable to attend in person can follow the action on the Internet with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video will also be available online.