Playing their first home games of the season, the Chico State softball team's torrid start to the 2018 campaign continued Friday at the friendly confines of University Softball Field. The No. 21 Wildcats utilized the long ball offensively, turned in several defensive gems and got shutout performances from pitchers Haley Gilham and Naomi Monahan to sweep the series-opening doubleheader against Cal State San Marcos, topping the Cougars by scores of 3-0 and 4-0.
Friday's wins moves Chico State to 11-0 overall and 6-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Marcos dipped to 2-6 on the season and 1-5 in conference play.
The Wildcats collected 10 hits on the afternoon, and among Bailey Akin's two safeties was her fifth home run of the year. Cyrena Taylor had a double among her two hits, and Reilani Peleti contributed two hits to the 'Cats' attack. Karli Skowrup picked up her third homer of the season in the nightcap.
In the opener of Friday's double dip, Gilham and San Marcos starter Caitlin Vinyard matched each other zero for zero for the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats got on the board when Claire Wayne singled home Akins. In the fifth, the 'Cats added two more—with Wendy Cardinali aboard, Akins launched a big fly to put Chico State up 3-0.
Now with a three-run cushion, Gilham did the rest, tossing a scoreless sixth inning and a 1-2-3 seventh to put the finishing touches on the Wildcats' 3-0 win. Gilham (6-0) struck out a season-high nine batters to log her third shutout and fifth complete game of the season, while lowering her earned run average to 0.74.
The nightcap saw Monahan continue to toss goose eggs, with the Wildcats' defense turning a pair of big double plays behind her. Chico State went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Kristin Worley scored on an Akins single to left field, then in the third extended its advantage on Skowrup's line-drive, two-run homer run to left, ballooning the Wildcats' lead to 3-0.
Monahan's bid for a second straight no-hitter ended in the top of the third inning, but she held the Cougars to just five hits on the game while striking out a pair.
The 'Cats wrapped up the day's scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Annie Weiss scored from third on a San Marcos error. Monahan set down the Cougars in order in the seventh to secure Chico State's 4-0 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Monahan netted her second straight shutout to improve to 3-0 on the year. Her ERA now stands at a miniscule 0.80.
The Wildcats and Cougars complete the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Before the start of the twin bill, Chico State will present the first of several pre-game ceremonies planned throughout the season to celebrate the softball program's 50th anniversary. Players from the first decade of Wildcat softball, spanning 1969–79, will be honored just prior to game one's first pitch.
