The Chico State softball team knew that beating Cal State San Marcos, ranked No. 5 in all of Division II, was going to be a challenge. The Wildcats battled throughout the four-game series, and after dropping both ends of a doubleheader Friday, Chico State rebounded nicely to beat the Cougars 7-5 in game one of Saturday's twin bill in Southern California. The 'Cats came up short in their efforts to earn a series split, though, falling in the nightcap 8-1.
Chico State now stands at 8-8 on the season and 3-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). With Saturday's doubleheader split, Cal State San Marcos is now 13-4 overall and 10-2 in conference play.
The 'Cats collected a combined 14 hits on the day, with Ashley Rocha racking up three hits and a pair of runs batted in. Ten other Chico State batters put a hashmark in the hits column on Saturday.
Game one of the doubleheader didn't start too encouragingly for the 'Cats, as San Marcos grabbed the early lead on a two-run home run by Paige Donnelly in the bottom of the first inning. Chico State answered right back in the top of the second, knotting up score when Rocha doubled home Mia Santos and Lanie Blomquist.
The Cougars went back on top with a run in the bottom of the third inning, but the Wildcats took the lead with a three-run fifth inning—Kyra Gooler scored on a bases-loaded walk to Anastacia Alba, then Tayler Berens knocked in a run with a pinch-hit single, with another 'Cat crossing the plate on a San Marcos error—putting Chico State in front 5-3. The lead didn't last long, however, as Jullian Albayati smacked a two-run homer for the Cougars in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score.
The Wildcats would take the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning, when Rocha doubled and eventually came home on a Grace Stover sacrifice fly. Chico State went up 7-5 when the 'Cats scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh on the Cougars' fourth error of the game.
San Marcos tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh, getting the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Mari Takeda Bajan came in from the Chico State bullpen to short-circuit the Cougar uprising, inducing a double play and a groundout to end it, giving the Wildcats the 7-5 victory.
Chico State starting pitcher Amelie Valdez pitched six-plus innings to earn the win and raise her season record to 5-3. Takeda Bajan earned her third save of the year.
The nightcap belonged to San Marcos from the outset, as the Cougars scored twice in the first inning and two more in the second courtesy of another Donnelly home run to quickly go up 4-0. The Wildcats were getting runners aboard in just about every inning, but couldn't come up with the big hit that would get them on the scoreboard.
San Marcos broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend their advantage to 7-0, and though Chico State finally broke through in the top of the fifth—Santos scoring from third base on a wild pitch—it wasn't nearly enough for the Wildcats to catch the Cougars. San Marcos plated a run in the bottom of the sixth and cruised to the 8-1 win, splitting the doubleheader and taking the series three games to one.
Chico State is idle next week, but returns to action March 17–18 with a four-game home series against Stanislaus State.
