LA JOLLA—The Chico State softball team did a little bit of everything Thursday—outstanding pitching by starters Haley Gilham and Naomi Monahan, flawless defense and timely hitting—to not only take both ends of its series-opening doubleheader against UC San Diego but put a convincing halt to the Tritons' 10-game winning streak. The 'Cats, ranked No. 5 in the nation, ran their own winning streak to six straight with 2-0 and 6-0 victories over No. 22 UC San Diego at Triton Softball Field.
The two Thursday wins moved Chico State to 25-2 on the season and 20-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), stretching their conference lead to five games over second place Sonoma State. UC San Diego slipped to 19-6 overall and 12-6 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats racked up a baker's dozen in the hit column, with Kristin Worley rapping out three hits, and Cyrena Taylor, Amanda Flores, and Megan Bowley contributing two safeties apiece. Bailey Akins and Claire Wayne each blasted home runs in the nightcap, giving Chico State an even 30 round-trippers on the year.
With a combined 24 wins going into the series, the anticipated pitching duel between Gilham and UC San Diego's Robyn Wampler in game one more than lived up to the hype. The two hurlers matched each other zero for zero through the first five innings, with each team mustering just one hit.
There were some missed scoring opportunities, however. Chico State stranded Wendy Cardinali at third base in top of the first inning; Worley was left in scoring position in the top of the third, and the 'Cats came away empty in the fourth despite getting two runners aboard with only one out.
UC San Diego stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the second inning, but thanks to Gilham retiring 14 consecutive batters, the Tritons would not see another baserunner until the bottom of the sixth.
Naomi Monahan (center) capped off the
doubleheader sweep of UC San Diego by twirling a
four-hit shutout to improve to 10-1 on the season.
Photo by Janna Weiss Photography.
The Wildcats finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Ari Marsh delivered a leadoff single, and a sacrifice bunt by Karli Skowrup moved pinch-runner Annie Weiss to second. Weiss advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a UC San Diego error, putting the 'Cats on top 1-0.
Chico State plated a big insurance run in the top of the seventh inning, as Flores led off with a double, and following a base hit by Bowley, Worley chased home pinch-runner Shelby Burdette from third with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Tritons were able to get the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Gilham was able to retire the next two hitters on a force-out and a ground ball back to the pitcher's circle, cementing the Wildcats' 2-0 victory.
Gilham notched her 12th complete game and eighth shutout of the season to improve her won-lost record to 12-1. Despite allowing just one earned run, Wampler was saddled with the loss to slip to 13-3 on the year.
In the nightcap, Chico State quickly staked Monahan to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Taylor knocked in Worley and Skrowup with a two-out double to right. In the third the Wildcats doubled their lead with one swing of Akins' bat—with Taylor aboard, Akins ripped her ninth homer of the season to dead center field to extend Chico State's advantage to 4-0.
The 'Cats missed several opportunities to break the game wide open, leaving the bases loaded in the second and third innings and two runners in scoring position in the fourth. Monahan, meanwhile, calmly kept the Tritons off the scoreboard, getting an inning-ending double play from her defense to end the fourth inning and working out of a jam in the fifth that stranded a pair of UC San Diego baserunners.
In the top of the sixth, Worley led off the inning with a double to left and scored on a single to right by Skowrup to put the 'Cats up 5-0. Wayne then applied the exclamation point in the top of the seventh with her fifth home run of the year, a monster solo shot to left field.
Monahan took care of the rest, setting down the Tritons without incident in the bottom of the seventh inning to lock down the Wildcats' 6-0 victory and the doubleheader sweep.
Monahan scattered four hits and struck out four en route to her 10th win and third shutout of the season.
Chico State and UC San Diego conclude the four-game series Friday with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
