Friday's series-opening doubleheader between the Chico State and Cal State East Bay softball teams featured games that were the polar opposite of each other. The first was a neat, tightly-played affair while the second was plagued by a combined 10 errors and seven walks. The results, however, were identical—the Wildcats walking off the field with a win. The 'Cats shut out the Pioneers in the opener 2-0, then came back to take the nightcap 11-5 at University Softball Field.
 
The two wins successfully opened California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action for Chico State while raising the Wildcats' season record to 7-0. Cal State East Bay dropped to 6-4 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

 

Chico State collected 15 hits on the afternoon, with Ari Marsh and Megan Bowley posting four safeties apiece. Cailin Garmon was once again unstoppable on the basepaths, scoring four runs and stealing five bases—four in the second game alone.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Haley Gilham chalked up her fourth win in as many decisions by twirling a five-hit shutout and striking out 10 Pioneers batters in the opener. Samantha Mulock came on in relief in game two and allowed just two unearned runs in five innings of work to earn her first victory as a Wildcat.
 
In game one, the 'Cats broke the seal in the bottom of the second inning, as Claire Wayne led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Bowley double to center field. In the bottom of the third Chico State scored again when Olivia Dallara delivered an RBI single to plate Kristin Worley from second, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
 
That would be all the run production Gilham would need. The junior right-hander allowed just one runner past second base the entire contest, and in the bottom of the seventh, with one out and the potential tying run at the plate, Gilham fanned Haley Keahi and Belle Placencia to end the game and lock down the Wildcats' 2-0 victory and her seventh career shutout.
 
Cal State East Bay struck first in the nightcap with a run in the top of the first inning, but the 'Cats pulled even in the bottom of the frame when Garmon reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball. The Pioneers went back on top 2-1 in the top of the second, but the Wildcats answered in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of four East Bay errors to plate five runs and go up 6-2.
 
The Pioneers got one run back in the top of the third inning, but in the bottom of the fourth Garmon singled, stole both second and third base and scored on Marsh's base hit to left. East Bay took advantage of two Chico State errors to score twice in the top of the fifth inning to close to within 7-5, only to see the 'Cats come back to plate four runs in the bottom of the fifth—two coming on a two-out error and another pair chased home by Marsh's booming triple down the right field line.
 
Mulock tossed a scoreless sixth inning and retired East Bay in order in the top of the seventh to give Chico State the 11-5 win and the doubleheader sweep.
 
The Wildcats and Cal State East Bay conclude the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. at University Softball Field.