The opening round of California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) softball's fight for first place, featuring two of the top-ranked teams in the nation, went decisively to the visitors Friday at University Softball Field. No. 25 Cal State San Marcos beat No. 11 Chico State 2-0 in the first game of a series-opening doubleheader, then came back to win the nightcap 8-2, taking sole possession of the top spot in the conference standings while also putting an end to the Wildcats' 12-game streak.
 
Chico State dropped to 22-6 on the season with the doubleheader loss, and slipped to second place in the CCAA with a 14-4 conference record. Cal State San Marcos, winners of 11 of its last 12 contests, improved to 25-3 overall and 16-2 in CCAA play.
 
Though the Wildcats' offense was stymied in the first game of the double dip, Chico State was still able to rack up a dozen hits on the afternoon. Reilani Peleti posted a double and two singles, while Nina Revoir and Lanie Blomquist picked up two hits apiece. The productivity just didn't add up to many runs, as Chico State lost back-to-back home games for the first time since March 24, 2019.
 
Game one Friday saw the two team's pitching aces—Savannah Coyle of Cal State San Marcos and the Wildcats' Brooke Larsen—put on a show in the circle, as the Wildcats and Cougars combined for just six total hits. San Marcos benefitted from a two-out Chico State error to score an unearned run in the top of the third inning, then in the fifth doubled its lead on a two-out RBI single by Bianca Gutierrez.
 
That would be all the run support that Coyle would need. The Wildcats were unable to figure out the freshman lefthander, who retired the first seven Chico State batters she faced and 11 of the last 12 'Cats' hitters, striking out a season-high 11 along the way. A chance for a late inning comeback occurred thanks to a two-out single by Revoir in the bottom of the seventh, but Larsen—the potential tying run—flied out to right to end the game, giving the Cougars the 2-0 win.
 
Larsen allowed just one earned run and three hits and struck out a half-dozen to earn her 15th complete game of the year, but was still saddled with the hard-luck loss to slip to 13-2 on the season.
 
Chico State drew first blood in the nightcap, when Anastacia Alba's single up the middle plated Revoir from second base in the bottom of the second inning. San Marcos answered in the top of the third, and this time a Wildcats error paved the way to three Cougars runs. The 'Cats got one of them back in the bottom of the third when Blaire Willson scored from third on a Revoir sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
 
It was still a one-run game when San Marcos broke the contest open in the top of the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring five times. The Wildcats tried to battle back, getting a pair of runners aboard in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't come up with the big hit to allow Chico State to climb back into the game. The 'Cats were shut out over the final four frames, allowing the Cougars to roll to the 8-2 victory and the doubleheader sweep.
 
Katelyn Oldwin went the distance in the pitcher's circle for the Wildcats, allowing just one earned run, but was charged with the loss to dip to 7-3 on the year.
 
The Wildcats and Cougars will attempt to conclude their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for 11 a.m. Rain is in the forecast, so be sure to check www.chicowildcats.com, Chico State Athletics on Facebook, or Chico Wildcats on Twitter for possible time change notifications.