The Chico State softball team broke the program's single season home run record back on March 10, and have steadily added to the new mark over the last month. Friday the No. 3 Wildcats exploded for four round-trippers in a series-opening doubleheader sweep of No. 18 Sonoma State, downing the Seawolves 5-2 in game one and using a nine-run third inning to take the nightcap 11-7 at University Softball Field.
With the two victories, Chico State extended its current winning streak to 12 straight games to improve to 37-3 on the year. The Wildcats clinched one of the four California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament berths while also maintaining their seven-game lead atop the conference standings with a 27-3 record. Sonoma State slipped to 25-16 overall and into third place in the CCAA with a 17-11 conference mark.
Claire Wayne greeted at home plate following her game one home run.
Wendy Cardinali, Claire Wayne, Cyrena Taylor and Bailey Akins all blasted home runs Friday, and for Akins, it was an historic round-tripper. Her two-run blast in game two of the double dip gives her 12 home runs on the year, breaking the Wildcats' single-season home run record Akins shared with Hailey Stockman (11 in 2012) and Desiree' Gonzalez (11 in 2014). The Wildcats have now hit 41 home runs on the season—14 since breaking the previous team record.
Chico State piled up 18 total hits on the afternoon, with Taylor and Karli Skowrup each racking up four hits and three runs batted in. Akins, Cardinali and Breanna Martin added two safeties apiece for the Wildcats, who are now a perfect 18-0 at University Softball Field.
Cyrena Taylor hit her third round-tripper of
the year in game two of the twin bill.
Game one of Friday's twin bill saw Chico State take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Skowrup drew a two-out walk and scored when Wayne ripped her sixth home run of the year over the left field fence. In the third Cardinali led off with her sixth round-tripper of the season, and RBI singles later in the inning by Skowrup and Ari Marsh extended the Wildcats' advantage to 5-0.
Chico State starting pitcher Haley Gilham kept Sonoma State off the scoreboard through the first four innings, but the Seawolves broke up the shutout bid with a run in the top of the fifth, then scored an unearned run in the sixth to pull to within three. Gilham shut down any possibility of a Sonoma comeback by tossing a scoreless seventh to put the finishing touches on the Wildcats' 5-2 win.
Gilham fanned five and didn't walk a batter in posting her 18th complete game of the season, improving to 18-2 on the year.
Things did not start encouragingly for the 'Cats in the nightcap, as the Seawolves rolled up four runs in the top of the second inning. Chico State got on the board in the bottom of the second when Wayne scored from third on a Cardinali sacrifice fly.
Sonoma State got the run back in the top of the third inning to make the score 5-1, but then the roof caved in on the Seawolves as the Wildcats sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the third. Taylor led off the frame with her third homer of the year, a towering blast to dead center field. Akins followed with a double and scored on a base hit by Skowrup to pull to within 5-3. Wayne walked and Mia Quintero was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for Breanna Martin, who singled home a pair to tie up the contest.
Wendy Cardinali celebrates with her Wildcat teammates after hitting
her sixth home run of the season in game one.
Chico State took the lead when Marsh plated Quintero on a sac fly to right, then Taylor made it an 8-5 game with a two-run single to chase home Martin and Kristin Worley. Akins promptly stepped up and delivered her record-setting round-tripper, clearing the fence in left center to complete the nine-run uprising and balloon the 'Cats' lead to 10-5.
The Seawolves weren't about to roll over, scoring twice in the top of the fifth inning to creep to within three. Chico State answered by plating a run in its half of the fifth, as Skowrup's RBI single to center—her CCAA-leading 43rd ribbie of the season—knocked in Annie Weiss.
Amanda Flores came on to pitch for the Wildcats and quickly quieted Sonoma State by tossing a 1-2-3 sixth inning. The Seawolves got a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Flores fanned pinch-hitter Megan Ambriz to end it, giving Chico State the 11-7 win and the doubleheader sweep.
Sam Mulock, the second of three 'Cats' pitchers, got credit for the victory to raise her season record to 4-0.
The Wildcats and Seawolves complete the four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Several special presentations are planned both before and after the twin bill: prior to game one, a commemorative banner saluting the program's 1980 softball national championship will be unveiled at 11:25 a.m., followed by the final "50 Years–50 Stars" celebration featuring players from the current decade. The pre-game events will be capped off by Senior Day festivities honoring Haley Gilham, Karli Skowrup, Cyrena Taylor and Mia Quintero.
It's also District 47 Little League Day, with entire teams invited to attend and take part in an on-field autograph session with Wildcat players at the conclusion of the doubleheader.
