A 2017 season filled with collective and individual successes—not to mention a boatload of victories—came to an end Saturday for the Chico State softball team, as the Wildcats bowed to Humboldt State 5-2 in the finals of the NCAA West Regional. The 'Cats needed to beat the Lumberjacks twice on Championship Saturday to keep their season alive, but Madison Williams outdueled Haley Gilham to eliminate Chico State from postseason play and vault Humboldt into the NCAA West Super Regional.
Haley Gilham came up short
Saturday against Humboldt State,
but set a new school single season
record with 23 victories in 2017.
The Wildcats finish the year with a 39-18 record, just one victory short of matching the program's single season win record set in 2016. Nationally ranked for most of the year, Chico State came in fourth in the incredibly competitive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), reached the finals of the CCAA Championship Tournament and knocked out both California Baptist and Cal State San Bernardino in the NCAA West Regional before being halted by Humboldt State.
What turned out to be Saturday's only game started off well for the Wildcats, as Megan Bowley launched her second home run in as many days in the bottom of the second inning, putting Chico State on top 1-0. Gilham kept Humboldt off the scoreboard through the first three frames, but in the top of the fourth the Lumberjacks combined two singles, a wild pitch, a squeeze bunt and a Wildcat throwing error to score twice and grab the lead.
Cailin Garmon stole her 53rd base of the year against Humboldt State,
adding one last swipe to her single season Wildcat record.
Chico State answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to knot up the contest. A double by Karli Skowrup and a single by Bowley put runners at the corners with two outs, and with Olivia Dallara at the plate, Madison uncorked a wild pitch to allow Skowrup to score from third. Dallara then a long fly ball to left field that was hauled in by Humboldt's Illa Haley with her back against the fence, ending the inning.
The Lumberjacks went ahead to stay in the top of the sixth inning, and did so without the benefit of a hit. Two hit by pitches and a walk loaded the bases for Humboldt, and with two outs and a 3-2 count on Kelly Sonnemann, Gilham just missed on a high fastball to walk home what would prove to be the deciding run.
Humboldt State fattened its lead in the top of the seventh when Tiffany Hollingsworth took Wildcats' reliever Cailin Garmon deep; her two-run homer giving the Lumberjacks a 5-2 lead. Bowley kept the Wildcats' hopes alive by leading off the bottom of the seventh with her third hit of the game, but Williams promptly struck out Dallara, pinch-hitter Mia Quintero and Rachel DeHart to end the game and Chico State's 2017 season.
Though they came up short of their quest for a national championship, there was plenty for the 'Cats to be proud of. Besides the 39 wins (giving Angel Shamblin 255 victories in her eight years as Chico State head coach), Gilham's 23 victories in the pitcher's circle set a new Wildcat single season record, while Garmon swiped 53 bases on the year, nearly doubling the previous school record.
Gilham and freshman teammate Kristin Worley earned First Team All-CCAA and All-West Region recognition, with Gilham also being named the CCAA Pitcher of the Year. Ari Marsh, batting a team-high .378 on the season, was also an All-CCAA First Teamer, while sophomore Claire Wayne led the 'Cats with a career-high seven home runs and received All-CCAA Honorable Mention.
