Eighteen games into the season, the Chico State softball team has racked up victories in a variety of ways. Lopsided contests, pitcher's duels, extra-inning affairs, walk-off wins—the Wildcats have shown they can deliver whatever is needed to put hashmarks in the "W" column. Saturday, the 'Cats combined a gritty game one pitching performance by Brooke Larsen with a four-run uprising in the seventh inning of the nightcap to take both ends of a doubleheader from Cal State San Bernardino, winning by scores of 5-0 and 5-4 to sweep the four-game series with the Coyotes.
Chico State improved to 14-4 on the season with the two Saturday wins, and upped its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) record to 6-2. Cal State San Bernardino dropped to 6-9 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
The Wildcats piled up 15 hits on the day. Hailey Seva led the way, as the freshman included two home runs among her four hits while driving in four runs. Reilani Peleti, Nina Revoir, Amanda Metzger, and Grace Stover each had two hits to help power the 'Cats offense.
Chico State struck quickly in the opener of Saturday's double dip. In the bottom of the first inning, Seva put the 'Cats on the board by smashing her first home run of the season over the left field fence. Later in the frame, Peleti scored from third on a wild pitch to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
Larsen was not nearly as dominant as she was in Friday's series opener, but time and again the Wildcats' ace came up with a big pitch to wiggle out of a jam and make the 2-0 lead stand up. San Bernardino stranded the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, left runners in scoring position in the third and fourth frames, and loaded the bases again in the fifth, only to see Larsen strike out Alyssa Beck to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Chico State added some insurance in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Revoir, then one inning later plated a pair when Seva singled home Metzger and Angel Lopez. Now armed with a comfortable cushion, Larsen set down the Coyotes without incident in the top of the seventh to cement the Wildcats' 5-0 victory.
Larsen, now 9-1 on the season, scattered three hits and struck out a dozen on the way to her 10th complete game and fifth shutout of the 2022 campaign.
The 'Cats had problems generating offense early in Saturday's second game. Stover laced a double to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but Chico State could not produce another hit until the fifth. Meanwhile, Cal State San Bernardino used two runs in the fourth and single tallies in the fifth and sixth to build a seemingly comfortable 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wildcats picked up their first run on Seva's second homer of the day, a mammoth shot to left. Chico State was still down 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the never-say-die 'Cats found a way to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat.
A leadoff double by Metzger and back-to-back walks to Lanie Blomquist and Anastacia Alba loaded the bases. Pinch-hitter Jade Henry ripped a base hit to the left-center field gap to knock in a pair and bring the 'Cats to within 4-3. With Alba at third and Seva at first, Peleti laced an RBI single to right to tie the game and move the potential winning run to third. That brought up Alani Nguyen, who made her only hit of the day a huge one—on a 3-2 pitch, she one-hopped the right field fence to drive in Seva to complete the four-run rally and give Chico State the come-from-behind 5-4 victory to sweep the doubleheader and the four-game set.
Mari Tekada Bajan, the second of two Wildcat pitchers, picked up the win to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Chico State now hits the road for the next two straight weekends. The Wildcats will be in Arcata to take on Cal Poly Humboldt (7-9, 3-5 CCAA) next Friday and Saturday, followed by a four-game set March 11–12 at San Francisco State (10-8, 5-3 CCAA).
Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry Week
It's Chico State Athletics Pack The Pantry Week and we have set a big goal—10,000 items—which would break the record we set last year. We need your help to reach it. You can donate monetarily
HERE and every dollar will count for two items.
You can also drop off a donation at Nettleton Stadium during Sunday's Chico State-Sonoma State baseball game, or at the Pantry itself Monday through Friday until 3 p.m., or by calling 530-898-4098 to make arrangements. Thank you for your support of Chico State's students, including student-athletes!
