As far as the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings were concerned, the Chico State softball team's Sunday doubleheader against San Francisco State didn't carry a whole lot of meaning. The No. 14 Wildcats had already secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming CCAA Championship Tournament, but the chance to host May's NCAA West Regionals kept the 'Cats hungry for wins in the final two games of the regular season. Chico State managed to take both ends of Sunday's twin bill, winning game one in walk-off fashion 2-1 before downing the Gators 6-3 in the nightcap at University Softball Field.
 
Sunday's two wins improved Chico State's record to 36-12 – the most wins by a Wildcat softball team in a single season since the 2002 'Cats went 36-27 and reached the NCAA Championship Division II College World Series. The 36 victories are also the most in the seven years Head Coach Angel Shamblin has been at the helm.
 
San Francisco State ended its 2016 season with an overall record of 25-28 and a CCAA conference mark of 19-21.
 
The Wildcats collected 16 hits Sunday, with Brynn Lesovsky racking up four safeties on the afternoon. Alli Cook contributed three hits, while Cyrena Taylor and Cailin Garmon had a pair of knocks.

 

Brooke Langeloh pitched a gem for the 'Cats in the opener, allowing just one unearned run on three hits while striking out eight. But heading into the sixth inning, it looked as though Langeloh might be on the hook for her third straight hard-luck loss. San Francisco State capitalized on a two-out error in the top of the third to score a run when Jennifer Lewis doubled home Kayli Shaw. Meanwhile, Gators starting pitcher Jenny Obbema held Chico State to just two hits through the first five frames.
 
The Wildcats pulled even in the bottom of the sixth when Ari Marsh singled, advanced to second on an error and scored on a Lesovsky single to left field. Langeloh set down San Francisco State in order in the top of the seventh, and in the 'Cats' last at-bat of regulation, Rachel DeHart doubled, Sarah Galaviz singled and Megan Bowley walked to load the bases with nobody out. Marsh lined out to first, but Cook followed with the walk-off hit, slashing a single through the right side of the infield to plate DeHart and giving Chico State the 2-1 victory.
 
Langeloh notched her 15th complete game of the season and improved to 18-3 overall.
 
The Wildcats wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in game two. Haley Gilham singled home Cook and Lesovsky in the bottom of the first inning, then in the second Lesovsky came through with an RBI single to center to give Chico State an early 3-0 lead.
 
Gilham was masterful in the pitcher's circle, giving up just one hit through five shutout innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the 'Cats essentially put the game away when Garmon, with two outs and the bases loaded, rifled a line drive into the left-center field gap – Taylor, DeHart and Galaviz all came around to score on Garmon's second triple of the year to extend Chico State's advantage to 6-0.
 
San Francisco State made some noise in the final two innings, scoring twice in the sixth and once more in the seventh, but with two outs in the top of the seventh, reliever Cheyenne Sandoval got Alexis Mattos to fly out to Cook in center field to end it, giving the Wildcats the 6-3 victory and the doubleheader sweep.
 
Gilham fanned four in winning her 10th straight start to move to 17-7 on the year.
 
Chico State begins postseason play Friday in the double-elimination CCAA Championship Tournament. The Wildcats' first round opponent will be No. 3 seed Sonoma State (32-20-1, 24-15-1 CCAA). The two teams will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday following the tournament's opening round game between No. 1 seed and conference regular season champion Humboldt State (45-3-1, 32-2 CCAA) and No. 4 UC San Diego (33-19, 23-15 CCAA). All games will be played at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.