There was something about the seventh inning that brought out the best in the Chico State softball team this weekend. After beating Cal State Monterey Bay Friday with a run in their last at-bat, the Wildcats scored another walk-off win in game two of Saturday's series-ending doubleheader, plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Otters 4-3 to earn a split of the doubleheader and a split for the four-game set at University Softball Field. Monterey Bay won the first game of Saturday's double dip, downing the 'Cats 9-2.
Chico State now stands at 7-5 on the season and is in a four-way tie for third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAA) with a 2-2 conference record. The series split with the Wildcats left Cal State Monterey Bay at 5-6 overall and 2-2 in CCAA play.
The 'Cats cranked out 20 hits on the day. Rachael Bles, Anastacia Alba, and Mia Santos each posted three hits in the doubleheader, with Grace Gallagher, Grace Stover, Katelyn Oldwin, and Hailey Seva contributing two knocks apiece.
Game one of Saturday's twin bill saw Chico State grab a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Ashlee Toy scored from second base on a two-out error, but Cal State Monterey Bay took control of the contest with three runs in the third and another in the fourth.
The Wildcats took advantage of another Otters miscue to score a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, with Bles coming home from third base on an Ashley Rocha sacrifice fly, whittling the deficit to 4-2. Monterey Bay, however, blew the game open by plating five runs in the top of the seventh to officially put the game out of reach, and Otters righthander Cassie Gasper set the 'Cats down without incident in the bottom of the seventh to give Monterey Bay the 9-2 win.
With Oldwin in the pitcher's circle for the Wildcats, the Otters drew first blood in game two with a pair of second inning runs. Chico State tied the contest with a run in the bottom of the second—Gallager scoring on a Monterey Bay error—and another in the third on a Gallager sacrifice fly. It stayed knotted up until the top of the seventh inning, when the Otters scored to make it a 3-2 game.
One inning away from dropping the doubleheader and the series, the 'Cats rallied with some seventh inning heroics. Santos led off with an infield single and scored on Kyra Gooler's single up the middle. Alba delivered a base hit to move pinch runner Blaire Willson to second, setting the stage for Oldwin, who lined a single to right center to easily plate Willson with the game-winning run, giving Chico State the 4-3 victory.
Amelie Valdez, who took the loss in game one, pitched two-and-a-third innings of relief for the 'Cats in the nightcap and got credit for the win, raising her season record to 4-3.
The Wildcats are back at University Softball Field next weekend, hosting the Lumberjacks of Cal Poly Humboldt. The four-game series begins with a 12 noon doubleheader on Friday, followed by a Saturday double dip starting at 11 a.m.
