Scoring two runs in 14 innings doesn't usually translate to victories, but thanks to outstanding pitching performances by Amelie Valdez and Katelyn Oldwin, two runs were enough for the Chico State softball team to put two hashmarks in the win column Friday in the Wildcats' series-opening doubleheader against Stanislaus State. Valdez blanked the Warriors on one hit in the opener in the 'Cats' 1-0 victory, then in the nightcap Oldwin made a first inning Chico State run hold up by twirling a four-hitter as the Wildcats triumphed by the same 1-0 score.
Friday's two wins not only boosted Chico State's season record to 10-8, but moved the Wildcats into a tie with Cal State San Bernardino for fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 5-5 conference mark. Stanislaus State slipped to 4-12 on the season and 2-11 in CCAA play.
Grace Stover and Grace Gallagher each had two hits Friday as the Wildcats experienced little success generating offense against Warriors pitchers Victoria Alarcon and Jessell Lewis, who were both tagged with hard-luck losses.
In game one of the doubleheader, it was Stanislaus State which threatened to break the seal when Avery Fitch led off the second inning with a double. Valdez made sure Fitch didn't advance by striking out three Warriors batters to end the inning. The Wildcats' freshman righthander finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts on the afternoon.
It stayed scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Chico State pushed across what proved to be the lone run of the contest. Stover reached base on a one-out Stanislaus error and promptly stole second. Two batters later Stover advanced to third on a bunt single by Tayler Berens, and scored when Hailey Seva shot a base hit through the right side of the infield.
Now with a lead, Valdez set down the Warriors in order in the fifth and sixth innings, but in the seventh a one-out Wildcats miscue allowed the potential tying run to get into scoring position. Valdez ended the threat—and the game—with a flourish, striking out Savhanna Angland and Kaylee Heath to lock down Chico State's 1-0 win.
Valdez raised her season record to 6-3 by registering her fifth complete game and third shutout of the year.
In the nightcap, the 'Cats struck quickly. Stover singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and then swiped second. A groundout by Seva moved Stover to third, who scored when Gallagher delivered an opposite field single to right.
Stanislaus had several opportunities to get on the board, but Oldwin was able to quell all of the Warriors' rallies. Stanislaus got the first two batters on base in the top of the third inning but came away empty; in the fourth, a Wildcats double play short-circuited another chance for the Warriors to score. In the top of the fifth, Oldwin came through with a big strikeout to make sure Stanislaus stranded the tying run at second base.
Stanislaus made one last attempt to knot up the contest, when Sheridan Gulley punched a two-out single through the right side. That would turn out to be the Warriors' last hurrah, as Oldwin got Katie Thornsberry to ground out, ending the game and giving Chico State the 1-0 victory and the doubleheader sweep.
Oldwin struck out nine and walked just one to earn the win and even her season record at 3-3.
The Wildcats and Warriors conclude their four-game set Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Fans unable to attend in person can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, with links located on the Wildcat Athletics homepage and the softball schedule page. Accessing the live video stream requires a monthly subscription fee that grants users access to every CCAA event on the network, home and away.
