ROHNERT PARK—The Chico State softball team may come up on the short end of the final score from time to time, but one thing the Wildcats have proven early in the 2019 season—they just flat out refuse to quit. The 'Cats battle no matter the inning or the situation, and Saturday Chico State exhibited that tenacity not once, but twice against Sonoma State in its series-ending doubleheader in Rohnert Park. The Wildcats overcame an early deficit to down the Seawolves 8-6 in game one, then rode a sixth inning, three-run homer by Bailey Akins to a 4-1 victory in the nightcap to take the series three games to one at Seawolf Softball Field.
Chico State improved to 12-3 on the season and 10-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with the two Saturday wins. Sonoma State dropped to 4-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
The Wildcats' offense cranked out 18 hits on the afternoon. Kristin Worley racked up five hits—including four in the first game of the doubleheader—while Ari Marsh delivered a pair of doubles among her four hits. Amanda Metzger collected three hits, with Amanda Flores and Reilani Peleti each rapping out a pair of hits.
In game one of the double dip, Chico State a crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Worley singled and came home thanks to back-to-back Sonoma State errors. Flores came through with an RBI single to plate Wendy Cardinali, and one batter later Marsh scored from third on a Brooke Larsen sacrifice fly. Sonoma State answered back in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a Wildcats' error and three bases-loaded walks to jump on top 5-3.
The 'Cats rallied back with a four-spot in the top of the third inning, as Metzger tied the game with a two-run double and Worley putting Chico State back in front with a two-run single. In the fourth, the Wildcats extended their lead to 8-5 when Peleti singled home Flores.
The Seawolves got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo homer by Lindsey Calcany Blair, and though Sonoma State was able to get the potential tying run to the plate in both the sixth and seventh inning, Larsen set down Sonoma without further incident, giving Chico State the 8-6 victory.
Larsen struck out five in recording her sixth complete game of the year, and improving her season record to 7-1.
After a wild opener, the second game of the twin bill featured a pitcher's duel between Flores and the the Seawolves' Teresa Danenberg. Through the first three-and-a-half innings, neither team could get on the board, but Jordann White led off the Sonoma half of the fourth with a home run, giving the Seawolves a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats grabbed the lead in the top of the sixth inning, and it took just one swing of Akins' bat to do it. With two aboard, she launched a big fly over the left field fence, and her third homer of the year—giving Akins 19 round-trippers in her Chico State career—put Chico State on top 3-1.
The 'Cats plated an insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Worley scored on a Cardinali sacrifice bunt. Sam Mulock, who tossed three scoreless innings of relief, set the Seawolves down in order in the bottom of the seventh to cement Chico State's 4-1 win, the doubleheader sweep and the series win.
Mulock (2-1) got credit for the win, with Danenberg (2-2) suffering the loss for the Sonoma State.
The Wildcats travel to Southern California next week, taking on the Cougars of Cal State San Marcos (5-5 overall, 4-4 CCAA). The four-game series gets underway with a doubleheader Friday at 12 noon, with an 11 a.m. twin bill slated for Saturday.
