CHICO – The ball was flying at University Softball Field Friday as the Chico State and Cal State East Bay softball teams kicked off a four-game series, with the Wildcats seeing their first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action of the season. The Wildcats and Pioneers combined for 34 hits on the afternoon – 12 for extra bases – with each team coming away with "W's". East Bay slugged its way to a 10-5 win in the opener, with the 'Cats earning a split of the twinbill with a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.
 
Chico State improved to 4-2 on the season with the doubleheader split, and share fifth place in the CCAA with a 1-1 conference record. Cal State East Bay is now 9-3 overall and 4-2 in CCAA play.

 

Tori Zimmermann and Emily McEnaney, Chico State's two hottest hitters, continued to sizzle Friday. Each had a home run and four hits, with Zimmermann driving in three runs on the day. Alli Cook, Ashley Huff and Amanda Cordeiro had two hits apiece, while in the pitcher's circle, Brooke Langeloh posted her fourth win of the season with a complete game three-hit, five strikeout performance in the nightcap.
 
Cal State East Bay jumped out to an early lead in game one of the double dip, scoring five second inning runs – four following a two-out Wildcat error – but McEnaney answered in the bottom of the frame with a solo homer to left. The Pioneers went up 7-1 with two more runs in the third, and it looked like the contest would be a runaway.
 
Instead, the 'Cats climbed back into the game, pulling to within 7-5 with a run in the bottom of the fifth (Cook scoring on an infield single by Zimmermann) and three more in the sixth (RBI doubles by Zimmermann and Huff). East Bay promptly squelched the Wildcats' comeback attempt by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning, and Pioneers pitcher Sierra Clark set down Chico State in order in the bottom of the frame to put the finishing touches on a 10-5 victory. Wildcat starting pitcher Haley Gilham was unable to get out of the second inning and suffered the loss to dip to 0-2 on the year.
 
East Bay drew first blood in the nightcap, as a solo homer by Gabby Gonzalez in the top of the second inning gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. That would be one of the only mistakes Langeloh would make for the rest of the day, allowing just two East Bay hits over the next five frames. Chico State scored twice in the bottom of the second inning on RBI singles by Karli Skowrup and Briana Contreras, then used Zimmermann's two-run homer to left in the bottom of the third to balloon its advantage to 4-1.
East Bay tried to rally late, with the first two batters getting aboard in the top of the seventh inning. Langeloh was up to the challenge and wiggled out of the jam unscathed, inducing a flyout, striking out Kelsey LaVaute and getting pinch-hitter Sierra Clark to ground out to second base to lock down the 4-1 Wildcat win and the doubleheader split.
 
Chico State and Cal State East Bay conclude the four-game set Saturday at University Softball Field with a doubleheader beginning at noon.