SEASIDE—It was another battle royal in Seaside Saturday as the Chico State and Cal State Monterey Bay softball teams squared off in a series-ending doubleheader, with the result mirroring Friday's start of the four-game set. Each of the nationally-ranked Top 20 teams came away with a victory, as the No. 19 Wildcats blanked the No. 12 Otters 8-0 in the opening game of the twin bill, and Monterey Bay winning in come-from-behind fashion 9-6 in the nightcap.
Chico State is now 10-4 on the season following Saturday's doubleheader split; the Wildcats are 2-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State Monterey Bay finished the four-game series 8-3 overall and 2-2 in CCAA play.
Despite winning one and losing one, the 'Cats offense had a productive afternoon, racking up a combined 19 hits over the two games. Nina Revoir went 4-for-4 in Saturday's opener and finished with five hits on the day, with Reilani Peleti delivering back-to-back multi-hit games (she now has six on the season) to also collect five hits. Amanda Metzger, Grace Stover, and Alani Nguyen each contributed two hits to the 'Cats' attack.
The day's first game was a carbon copy of Friday's Brooke Larsen-Cassie Gasper pitcher's duel. The two righthanders traded zeroes through the first four frames, though both teams had an early chance to open the scoring. Chico State left two runners in scoring position in the top of the second inning, while Monterey Bay stranded runners at the corners in the bottom of the third.
The Wildcats racked up three hits in the top of the fourth, but came away empty. Back-to-back singles by Larsen and Metzger leading off the inning set the stage for Revoir, who sent a ringing double to deep center field. Unfortunately for the 'Cats, Metzger was thrown out at home on the play, and though Chico State loaded the bases later in the frame, Gasper was able to get out of the jam unscathed.
The 'Cats continued to threaten, as a Stover walk and a one-out double by Peleti put two runners in scoring position in the top of the fifth inning. Once again Gasper wiggled out of trouble and keep the game scoreless.
Chico State finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning, and in the process broke the game wide open. The Wildcats sent 13 batters to the plate, putting a snowman on the scoreboard. The 'Cats loaded the bases with one out, and when Stover's grounder back to the pitcher's circle was bobbled by reliever Kassidy Stetler, Revoir came in to score the first run of the contest. The Wildcats were far from done—with the bases still loaded, Nguyen delivered a pinch-hit double to right to chase home Stover, Angel Lopez, and Alexandria Allen, making the score 4-0. Peleti followed with an RBI base hit, and after Metzger singled, Revoir launched a three-run homer over the right field fence, ballooning Chico State's advantage to 8-0.
Larsen took care of the rest, setting down Monterey Bay without a score in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the finishing touches on the Wildcats' 8-0 victory.
Larsen earned the win, striking out six to raise her record to 7-1 while twirling her fourth shutout and eighth complete game of the season.
Game two started out in fine fashion for the Wildcats, as a two-out triple by Revoir knocked in Peleti and Nguyen in the top of the first inning to give Chico State a quick 2-0 lead. Monterey Bay got on the board with a run in the bottom of the third, but the 'Cats answered with a crooked number in the top of the fourth—Nguyen, Rachael Bles, and Lanie Blomquist all scored on a two-out triple by Lopez, extending Chico State's lead to 5-1.
But things went south for the Wildcats in the Otters' half of the fifth. A two-out bases loaded walk produced a run for Monterey Bay, then Oli Perez followed with a grand slam to vault the Otters in front. Monterey Bay scored again courtesy of four straight walks, and an RBI single completed the seven run inning to give the Otters an 8-5 lead.
A Chico State error led to another Monterey Bay run in the bottom of the sixth. Down to its last three outs, the Wildcats made it interesting in the top of the seventh, scoring a run courtesy of an Otters error and getting the potential tying run to the plate with only one out. But Monterey Bay pitcher Jensen Main got Revoir to fly out and Metzger to ground out to end the game, giving the Otters the 9-6 win and the doubleheader and series split.
The Wildcats will be at University Softball Field next weekend for their first home games of the 2022 season. Chico State will take on Cal State San Bernardino in a four-game series, with doubleheaders slated to begin Friday at 12 noon and Saturday at 11 a.m.
