CARSON—In Friday's doubleheader against Cal State Dominguez Hills, the Chico State softball team had trouble getting key hits to cash in baserunners, and as a result split the series-opening twin bill with the Toros. It was a totally different story Saturday, as the No. 5 'Cats came through with numerous run-scoring hits, and on the strength of a pair of six-run seventh innings, downed Dominguez Hills 8-2 and 11-1 to sweep the double dip and take three out of four from the host Toros.
With the doubleheader sweep, Chico State improved to 18-5 on the season, and remains atop the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings with a 16-4 conference record. Cal State San Bernardino slipped to 15-10 overall and 13-9 in CCAA play.
The Chico State offense piled up a whopping 30 hits on the day. Amanda Flores went 6-for-6 in the two games and reached base in all nine of her plate appearances, while Claire Wayne had three doubles among her five hits and drove in four runs. Wendy Cardinali, Bailey Akins, and Reilani Peleti had four hits apiece, with Peleti extending her team-high hitting streak to 10 straight games. Kristin Worley, Ari Marsh and Amanda Metzger each provided a pair of hits to the 'Cats' attack.
Chico State got the scoring started with authority in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Solo home runs by Cardinali (her fourth of the year) and Flores (her second) in the top of the first inning immediately put the 'Cats on top 2-0. Dominguez Hills fought back, getting on the board when Damai Simon led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run, and in the sixth inning a two-out Wildcats' error allowed the Toros to plate a run and knot up the contest at 2-2.
The Wildcats weren't about to let the game get away, exploding for six runs in the top of the seventh. Brooke Larsen put Chico State ahead to stay with a base hit to right to drive in Cardinali, and Wayne followed with an RBI double to chase home Annie Weiss. Akins delivered a single to left to knock in Larsen, and Metzger put a capper on the six-run uprising with her first home run as a Wildcat—the freshman's three-run bomb giving Chico State a comfortable 8-2 lead.
Larsen stepped into the pitcher's circle in the bottom of the seventh and retired Dominguez Hills without incident, locking down the 'Cats' 8-2 victory.
Larsen struck out eight in registering her ninth complete game of the year and raising her season record to 11-1. Worley swiped her 12th base of the season in game one, giving her 81 for her Wildcat career and moving the junior past Cailin Garmon into second place on Chico State's all-time stolen base list.
In the nightcap, the Toros jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage, as Simon struck again with her CCAA-leading seventh home run in the bottom of the first inning. In the top of the third, the Wildcats also took the extra-base route to surge into the lead—three straight doubles by Marsh, Flores, and Wayne put Chico State on top 2-1.
While Wildcats' pitcher Sam Mulock retired 21 of the 23 Dominguez Hills batters she faced—including 12 in a row between the second and sixth innings—Chico State extended its lead in the top of the fifth. Singles by Flores, Wayne and Akins loaded the bases, with Peleti delivering a two-run double. Wayne came through with an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to make it a 5-1 contest.
The 'Cats officially put the game away in the top of the seventh inning by putting up another six-spot: Marsh doubled home Metzger, Worley, and Cardinali, and then scored on a base hit by Flores. Wayne promptly doubled home Flores, and scored on Akins' single up the middle. Mulock proceeded to set down Dominguez Hills in order in the bottom of the seventh to put the finishing touches on the Wildcats' 11-1 victory to sweep the doubleheader and win the series.
Mulock allowed no runs and just one hit while striking out six in seven innings of work to improve to 4-1 on the year.
Chico State returns home next Sunday and Monday for a series that will determine the top spot in the CCAA, as second place UC San Diego (18-6 overall, 16-5 CCAA) visits University Softball Field. The four-game set begins with a doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m., followed by a twin bill Monday at 11 a.m.
