With the threat of rain hovering over Saturday's Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills softball doubleheader, there was a certain sense of urgency amongst the Wildcats to get both games in as soon as possible before Mother Nature took over the proceedings. Outside of a steady mist late in the afternoon, the wet weather didn't materialize, but that didn't stop the No. 24 'Cats from sweeping the twin bill in quick fashion, downing the Toros 10-0 in six innings in the first game and 9-1 in five innings in the nightcap to complete a four-game series sweep.
 
Chico State has now won 12 straight games to improve to 30-10 on the season. It matches the program's longest winning streak since the 1978 Wildcats won their first 12 games of the year. The Wildcats raised their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) record to 21-9, while Cal State Dominguez Hills fell to 13-32 overall and 6-26 in conference play.
 
The 2016 edition of the 'Cats has also reached the 30-win mark faster than any Chico State team since the 1980 Wildcats – the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Division III national champions – won 30 of their first 36 contests.

 

A day after rapping out 29 hits, Chico State added another 20 on Saturday. Alli Cook and Desiree' Gonzalez led the way with four safeties apiece, while Brynn Lesovsky contributed three hits. Ari Marsh, Cyrena Taylor and Rachel DeHart chipped in with two hits each. Lesovsky, Gonzalez and DeHart combined for 13 RBI on the afternoon.
 
In the opener of Saturday's twin bill, the Wildcats went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Taylor drove in Cook with a single to right field. The 'Cats put a crooked number on the board in the bottom of the third – Lesovsky delivered an RBI single to plate Marsh and came home when Gonzalez blasted her fourth home run of the year over the left field fence. Back-to-back doubles by Taylor and DeHart extended Chico State's lead to 5-0.
 
Chico State posted single runs in the fourth inning (Cailin Garmon scoring on a Marsh sacrifice fly) and the fifth (Lesovsky coming home from third on a sac fly by DeHart) before ending the game in explosive fashion: with Cook and Marsh aboard, Lesovsky went big fly, belting her fourth round-tripper of the year to give the Wildcats the 10-0 victory.
 
Brooke Langeloh started in the pitcher's circle for the 'Cats and tossed four shutout innings, striking out five to earn the win and raise her season record to 16-1.
 
In the nightcap, the Wildcats jumped out to a commanding 5-0 in the bottom of the first – Marsh led off the inning with a home run to right field; Gonzalez doubled home Cook; an RBI groundout by Haley Gilham plated Lesovsky, and DeHart's double to the right-center field gap chased home Gonzalez and Taylor.
 
Chico State added on in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of a Gonzalez RBI double, then in the third plated three more to hike its advantage to 9-0. Dominguez Hills scored its lone run of the day in the top of the fourth inning, but Garmon, in relief of Gilham, retired the Toros in order in the top of the fifth to lock down the Wildcats' 9-1 win and both the doubleheader and series sweep.
 
Gilham started in the circle for the Wildcats and picked up the win to improve to 13-7 on the season.
 
Chico State hits the road next weekend, traveling to Hayward to take on CCAA foe Cal State East Bay. The four-game series gets underway with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon, followed by an 11 a.m. double dip on Sunday.