CHICO – The Chico State softball team rarely plays on Sunday during the regular season, but based on the results in a lopsided doubleheader sweep of Southern Oregon, the Wildcats don't seem to mind competing on what would normally be a day of rest. The offense was clicking on all cylinders amidst the spring-like weather at University Softball Field, as the 'Cats downed the Raiders 9-1 in six innings in the opener of the twinbill, then pounding their way to a five-inning, 14-2 victory in the nightcap.
The two wins upped Chico State's record to 3-1 on the young season. Southern Oregon, playing its ninth and 10th games in the past five days, dropped to 10-4 overall. The Wildcats totaled 23 runs and 24 hits on the afternoon, including three home runs and six extra-base hits. The 'Cats were also productive on the base paths, swiping eight bases over the two contests.
Individually, Emily McEnaney enjoyed a perfect day at the plate, collecting six hits, reaching base seven times and knocking in seven runs. The senior shortstop went 4-for-4 in the nightcap, blasting a three-run homer and piling up six runs batted in.
Tori Zimmermann also turned in a big day, going 5-for-7 with two doubles and five RBI. Desiree' Gonzalez smacked her first home run of the year in the opener, with Courtney Brown drilling a solo round-tripper in the second game. Alli Cook had four hits, scored five runs and stole three bases to aid the 'Cats' attack.
After Wildcat starting pitcher Brooke Langeloh worked out of a bases-loaded, nobody out situation in the top of the first inning, Chico State drew first blood in game one of the doubleheader, scoring twice in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout by Zimmermann and a two-out single by McEnaney to plate Cook. The 'Cats went up 5-0 in the bottom of the third when Zimmermann doubled home Cook and scored when Gonzalez sent a line drive over the left field fence. It was her 17th career round-tripper, moving Gonzalez to second place on Chico State's career home run list.
Southern Oregon scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning, but from then on it was all Chico State. In the bottom of the fifth Katy Weger scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Brown, then Kelli Keefe delivered a two-run single to up the Wildcats' lead to 8-1. The game ended in the bottom of the sixth when Zimmermann singled home Ashley Huff, giving the 'Cats the 9-1 win. Langeloh worked the first five innings in the circle to earn the victory.
Southern Oregon opened game two with a run in the top of the first, but the Wildcats answered in the bottom of the inning, batting around and scoring five times – Zimmermann put Chico State on the board with an RBI double, and following a walk to Gonzalez, McEnaney laced a three-run homer to left field. Two batters later, Courtney Brown yanked a solo homer to left, giving Chico State an early 5-1 lead.
The Wildcats went up 8-1 in the bottom of the second, once again batting around and plating three runs courtesy of RBI singles by McEnaney, Brynn Lesovsky and Katy Weger. Southern Oregon got a run back in the top of the third, but Chico State sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning, scoring four times – Cook got things started with an RBI triple, then scored on a Zimmermann base hit to center. Later in the frame Weger and Briana Contreras both knocked in runs on fielder's choice grounders, making the score 12-2.
Chico State concluded the day's run production by plating a pair in the bottom of the fourth, as McEnaney singled home Gonzalez and Zimmermann. Cheyenne Sandoval, in relief of Langeloh, blanked Southern Oregon in the fourth and fifth innings to put the bow on the Wildcats' 14-2 victory and the doubleheader sweep. Langeloh worked the first three innings to get credit for the win and improve to 3-0 on the season.
Chico State opens up California Collegiate Athletic Assocation (CCAA) play next weekend with a four-game series against Cal State East Bay (8-2, 3-1 CCAA). Both Friday and Saturday doubleheaders are scheduled to begin at noon.
