SEASIDE—The Chico State softball team entered its weekend series against No. 7 Cal State Monterey Bay knowing full well they wouldn't be able to simply back into postseason play. The Wildcats, ranked No. 15 in the nation and fifth in the NCAA West Region, has to deliver a strong finish to earn a berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament and the NCAA Championship Tournament. The 'Cats played well in their series-opening doubleheader Friday against the West Region's top team, beating the Otters 7-1 in the first game before falling in the nightcap 4-0 at the Otter Sports Complex.
Friday's doubleheader split leaves Chico State with a 32-11 season record and in fourth place in the CCAA with a 22-10 conference mark.
The battle for the four CCAA Championship Tournament berths has gotten even tighter after Friday's action—Sonoma State (24-10) jumped up to second place with a doubleheader sweep of Humboldt State (20-9), which fell from second to third. Cal State San Bernardino, though sitting in fifth place in the conference standings, made up ground on the CCAA leaders with a doubleheader sweep of San Francisco State on Friday.
Chico State collected a total of 16 hits in Friday's double dip, with Kristin Worley and Karli Skrowup leading the way with three safeties apiece. Megan Bowley, Olivia Dallara, Rachel DeHart and Ari Marsh each contributed two hits to the 'Cats' attack.
Game one of Friday's doubleheader opened with both the Wildcats and Otters wasting scoring opportunities in the first inning. In the bottom of the second, Monterey Bay grabbed the early lead, but was only able to push across one run after loading the bases with nobody out against Wildcats starting pitcher Haley Gilham.
Chico State tied up the contest in the top of the fourth inning when Skowrup's single to right plated Bowley, then DeHart knocked in Skowrup with a single up the middle to put the Wildcats in front 2-1.
The 'Cats broke the game open in the top of the fifth, scoring four runs and knocking out Otters starter Hayley Fein. Bowley delivered a two-run double that one-hopped the center field fence, then later in the frame Skowrup doubled to left to chase home Bowley and Gilham and extend Chico State's advantage to 6-1.
The 'Cats struck again in the top of the seventh, as Skowrup collected her fourth RBI of the contest to boost Chico State's lead to 7-1.
While the 'Cats were racking up runs, Gilham was masterful in the pitcher's circle, completely shutting down the Monterey Bay offense, retiring 11 straight batters at one point and allowing no hits over her final five innings of work to lock down Chico State's 7-1 victory.
Gilham struck out four in going the distance for the 21st time this season, raising her record to 19-4 on the year.
The Wildcats had trouble cranking up the offense in game two of the twin bill, with only two singles by Marsh and one by Dallara to show over the first four innings. Monterey Bay, meanwhile, rapped out eight hits in the first three frames and scored single runs in the second and third innings to stake Fein to a 2-0 lead.
Chico State threatened to get on the board in the top of the fifth inning, using a walk, a DeHart single and an Otters throwing error to load the bases with one out. Fein, however, got Worley to fly out and Marsh to line out to third to get out of the jam unscathed.
Monterey Bay added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and though Skowrup led off the Wildcat seventh with a triple, Chico State could not avoid the shutout, as the Otters wrapped up the 4-0 win and the doubleheader split.
Samantha Mulock started game two in the circle for the 'Cats, allowing two runs (one earned) in two-and-a-third innings and was charged with the loss to slip to 10-6 on the year.
The Wildcats and Otters conclude their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
