SAN BERNARDINO—Haley Gilham's Chico State softball career did not start off well. A freshman in 2015, she lost her first two starts and didn't notch her first collegiate win until her fifth appearance of the season. Once she finally got in the win column, though, Gilham has been racking up "W's" with amazing consistency ever since. Now a senior, the All-American right-hander was at it again Friday in the Wildcats' conference-opening doubleheader against Cal State San Bernardino, beating the Coyotes 4-0 for her 60th career victory, making Gilham the winningest pitcher in the 50-year history of Chico State softball. The 'Cats were also winners in the nightcap, withstanding a seventh inning San Bernardino rally to edge the Coyotes 4-3.
 
Friday's two victories moved the No. 21 Wildcats to 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Bernardino, which was also undefeated heading into the four-game series, slips to 5-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
 
Gilham was not the only Wildcat making a big contribution to the Wildcats' doubleheader sweep. Kristin Worley and Ari Marsh both collected three hits on the day, with Claire Wayne, Karli Skowrup and Bailey Akins contributing two hits apiece. Wayne, Marsh and Akins all homered, giving Chico State 12 round-trippers in just seven games. The team single-season record is 26.

 

The first game of the double dip featured an early pitcher's duel between Gilham and San Bernardino right-hander Amanda Ramirez. The two hurlers matched each other zero for zero through the first two innings, but Chico State broke through in the top of the third when Wendy Cardinali coaxed a one-out walk, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on an infield single by Worley, and scored on a sacrifice fly.
 
Gilham retired the first 11 Coyotes she faced, but had to wiggle out of bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning to preserve the Wildcats' 1-0 lead. She was rewarded in the top of the fifth, as Skowrup's two-out, two-run double plated Cardinali and Annie Weiss to extend the 'Cats' advantage to 3-0.
 
Wayne blasted her second home run of the season in the top of the sixth inning, a solo shot to left field. That would turn out to be more than enough run support for Gilham, who tossed a scoreless sixth and seventh inning to lock down the Wildcats' 4-0 victory and cement her name in the Chico State record book.
 
Gilham struck out four in posting her second shutout and third complete game of the season.
 
Things started well for the Wildcats in the nightcap. Marsh provided Chico State an early lead, ripping a home run to right field with Cardinali aboard in the top of the first inning to put the 'Cats up 2-0. San Bernardino threatened in the bottom half of the frame, but Naomi Monahan came in from the Chico State bullpen to work out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation to keep the Coyotes off the scoreboard.
 
The Wildcats scored again in the top of the third inning, as Breanna Martin singled, took third on a double by Worley and came home on a base hit by Marsh. The 'Cats went big fly again in the fourth, courtesy of a Akins solo homer, pushing Chico State's lead to 4-0.
 
San Bernardino battled back, scoring a run in the fifth inning and pulling to within one in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer by Jessica Brown. Later in the frame the Coyotes put runners at the corners with one out, but the tying run was stranded at third when Wayne threw out pinch-runner Gabriella Bracamonte at second trying to steal, and Wildcats reliever Amanda Flores struck out Samantha Vacko to end it, giving Chico State the 4-3 win and the doubleheader sweep.
 
Monahan notched her first career win as a Wildcat, with Flores picking up her first Chico State save.
 
The Wildcats and Coyotes conclude their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.