Two outstanding hitting teams went head-to-head Friday, as No. 6 Chico State and Stanislaus State opened a four-game set at University Softball Field. Both teams came away from the series-opening doubleheader with "W's"—the Warriors used a nine-hit attack to halt the Wildcats' winning streak at four with a 3-2 win in the opener, only to see the 'Cats amassed 10 hits in the nightcap to roll to a six-inning, 9-1 victory.
Friday's doubleheader split gives Chico State an overall record of 13-2, with the Wildcats remaining in second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with an 8-2 conference mark. Stanislaus State moves to 11-9 on the year and 7-7 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats came through with 17 hits over the two Friday contests. Kristen Worley, Olivia Dallara and Rachel DeHart had three knocks apiece, while Claire Wayne had two hits and knocked in four runs on the day. Ari Marsh collected a pair of safeties and scored four times, with Mya Reynolds and Lorren Sharp delivering two hits apiece.
Game one of the double dip featured an outstanding pitching duel between aces Haley Gilham of Chico State and the Warriors' Kylie Ragsdale. A two-out RBI single by Katelyn McDonald put Stanislaus on the board in the top of the first inning, but in the bottom of the frame Chico State pulled in front—a sacrifice fly by Wayne plated Marsh from third, then Dallara followed with a base hit to right field to drive home Worley, giving the 'Cats a 2-1 lead.
Gilham worked out of a bases-loaded, one out jam in the top of the third inning, but in the fourth Stanislaus pulled even, using another two-out hit—this one by Alexus Martinez—to knot up the contest at 2-2.
The Wildcats had a chance to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Ragsdale survived a bases-loaded jam to keep the game tied. In the seventh, the Warriors pushed across what turned out to be the winning run, as McDonald singled through the right side to plate Nicolette Vizcaino. Chico State got the tying run aboard with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Ragsdale fanned Dallara to end it, giving Stanislaus the 3-2 victory.
Gilham struck out six in notching her seventh complete game, but suffered her first loss of the season to dip to 7-1 overall.
In the nightcap it was the Wildcats drawing first blood when Wayne delivered a two-out RBI single to knock in Marsh in the bottom of the first inning. Stanislaus answered with a run in the top of the second inning, but that would be all they could muster against 'Cats' left-hander Samantha Mulock, who allowed just three hits and blanked the Warriors the rest of the way.
Mulock's Wildcat teammates rewarded her by generating plenty of offense. In the bottom of the third Marsh put Chico State back on top by doubling home Sarah Galaviz, then scored when Megan Bowley laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt. Dallara wrapped up the rally with a sac fly to plate Worley, giving the 'Cats a 4-1 lead.
Chico State blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth, combining two hits, two hit-by-pitches and two walks to bat around and score four times. Wayne and Reynolds both supplied two-run singles in the inning, and suddenly the Wildcats were up 8-1.
After Mulock set down Stanislaus without incident in the top of the sixth, Chico State put an end to the proceedings in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded, Sharp dropped a base hit just inside the right field foul line, chasing home Wayne to give the Wildcats the 9-1 victory.
Mulock scattered five hits in going the distance for the second time this year. The win moves the freshman to 4-1 on the season.
The Wildcats and Warriors conclude their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. at University Softball Field.
