It's officially backs against the wall time for the Chico State softball team. With the Wildcats falling to Cal State San Bernardino 5-2 Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional, Head Coach Angel Shamblin's squad is now forced to run the table—four straight wins over the next two days—to avoid elimination and keep its hopes of advancing to the West Super Regional alive.
 
The loss dropped the Wildcats to 37-17 on the season, while Cal State San Bernardino improved to 38-19 overall.

 

Chico State now faces California Baptist Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the West Regional's first elimination game, with the loser's season coming to an end. The Lancers, the West's No. 7 seed, lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to No. 2 Humboldt State in the Thursday's opening game. Humboldt and San Bernardino will meet Friday at 11 a.m. in the winner's bracket game.
 
Chico State entered Thursday's action as the No. 3 seed in the West, but received a first inning jolt from No. 6 San Bernardino, as the Coyotes exploded for five hits and four runs off Wildcat ace Haley Gilham. San Bernardino got on the board just four batters into the game, with Taylor Ancona's two-run single giving the Coyotes the early lead. Three batters later Briana Quintana knocked in a pair with a single up the middle, and suddenly the stunned 'Cats were looking up at a 4-0 deficit.
 
San Bernardino made it a 5-0 game in the top of the third inning when Brooke Thomas singled, advanced to second on a groundout, stole third and came home when Wildcat catcher Lorren Sharp's throw squirted into left field.
 
An infield single by Cailin Garmon was the only hit the Wildcats could manage in the first four innings against Coyotes' right-hander Amanda Ramirez. Chico State finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth, as Karli Skowrup scored from third on a Rachel DeHart groundout. Garmon kept Chico State within hollering distance, coming on in relief in the fourth inning and tossing four shutout innings.
 
Needing to stage a big rally, the Wildcats came out swinging in the bottom of the sixth. A San Bernardino error and singles by Megan Bowley and Kristin Worley loaded the bases with nobody out. Lefty Cassandra Williams was summoned from the Coyotes' bullpen, and she was greeted with an RBI single by Marsh, cutting the deficit to 5-2. But with the potential tying run aboard, Williams—a First Team All-CCAA selection—struck out Skowrup, Claire Wayne and Olivia Dallara to extinguish the Wildcat threat and get San Bernardino back in the dugout with a three-run advantage.
 
Thanks to two hit by pitches, Chico State got the potential tying run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Williams fanned Worley to end the game and give the Coyotes the 5-2 victory.
 
Ramirez (16-7) picked up the win for San Bernardino, with Williams notching her sixth save of the season. Gilham went just three innings to take the loss and slip to 22-7 on the year.
 
2017 NCAA WEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
May 11-13, University Softball Field
Chico, Calif.
Double-elimination tournament
All times Pacific
 
Thursday, May 11
Game 1: No. 2 Humboldt State 1, No. 7 California Baptist 0
Game 2: No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino 5, No. 3 Chico State 2
 
Friday, May 12
11 a.m.—Game 3: Humboldt State (39-13) vs. Cal State San Bernardino (38-19)
1:30 p.m.—Game 4: Chico State (37-17) vs. California Baptist (36-12) (elimination game)
4 p.m.—Game 5: winner of Game 4 vs. loser of Game 3 (elimination game)
 
Saturday, May 13
11 a.m.—Game 6: winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 5
1:30 p.m.—Game 7 (if necessary)
 
In the other West Regional bracket being played at Cal State Monterey Bay, the No. 1 seed and host Otters were upended by No. 8 Western Washington Thursday 5-3. Dixie State, the West's No. 4 seed, shaded No. 5 Sonoma State 5-4.