TURLOCK—The Chico State softball team's offense was in bona fide scuffle mode Saturday at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, with runs especially hard to come by. But despite letting several scoring opportunities get away, the No. 13 Wildcats were able to recover from being shut out for the first time this year to earn a split of their two games in day two of tournament action. The 'Cats suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Montana State-Billings, but scratched across just enough runs later in the evening to shade Hawaii Hilo 3-2.
The Saturday split moves Chico State to 21-8 on the year.
Chico State generated a total of just nine hits in the two Saturday games. Amanda Metzger was the lone Wildcat with a multi-hit day, delivering a pair of hits in the late game against Hawaii Hilo.
In the day's opener against Montana State-Billings, Chico State would produce only three hits, but was still able to get plenty of runners aboard. The 'Cats weren't able to come up with the clutch knock to push them across, however, and ended up stranding eight runners in the contest.
Naomi Monahan, making her first appearance in the pitcher's circle since March 1 and first start in over a month, kept the Yellowjackets off the scoreboard until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Payton Reynolds doubled to lead off the frame and scored from third on a Morgan Quimby sacrifice fly to put Montana State-Billings on top 1-0.
The Yellowjackets doubled their lead with a run off Wildcats reliever Sam Mulock in the bottom of the fifth inning. Chico State once again tried to weave its late-inning magic, but despite getting the tying runs aboard in both the sixth and seventh innings, the 'Cats came up empty each time, allowing Montana State-Billings to come away with the 2-0 victory.
Early on, the Wildcats appeared to shake off the offensive doldrums in Saturday's evening game against Hawaii Hilo. Brook Larsen put Chico State on the board in the bottom of the first inning when her two-out single chased home Metzger, then with two outs in the bottom of the second Angel Lopez stroked a single to knock in Metzger and Reilani Peleti to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
The Wildcats' bats fell silent again, though, allowing Hawaii Hilo to climb back into the contest with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Chico State had a chance to extend its now slim advantage in the bottom of the sixth, but despite putting runners at second and third with nobody out, could not score.
It was up to Larsen to get the final three outs in the top of the seventh inning, and the Wildcats' pitching ace did just that, retiring Hawaii Hilo in order and finishing with a flourish by striking out the last two Vulcans hitters to cement Chico State's 3-2 victory.
Larsen, now 13-2 overall, struck out 10 in recording her 12th complete game of the season.
The Wildcats conclude the Tournament of Champions with a single game Sunday, as they take on Concordia (Oregon) at 11:30 a.m. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
