The Chico State softball team was in need of a clutch pitching performance Monday in its series-opening doubleheader with Cal Poly Humboldt. The Wildcats dropped the first game to the Lumberjacks 6-3, and knowing they required a win in the worst way to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth, Katelyn Oldwin delivered in the nightcap. The junior righthander allowed just one unearned run in going the distance, and her Chico State teammates provided enough offense to come away with a 4-1 victory to split the twin bill at University Softball Field.
The Wildcats now stand at 18-19 overall on the season, and their 11-13 CCAA record puts Chico State in a tie with San Francisco State for sixth place in the conference standings. Cal Poly Humboldt is 21-22 on the year and remains two games behind the 'Cats and Gators in the CCAA race with a 9-15 conference mark.
Chico State posted a baker's dozen in the hit column Monday, with Grace Stover, Ashley Rocha, Tayler Berens, and Hailey Seva collecting two hits apiece. Rachael Bles and Blaire Willson each knocked in a pair of runs as the Wildcats improved their home season record to 12-4.
The 'Cats drew first blood in game one of the double dip, snapping a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning when Hannah Levy came home on a two-out RBI single by Lanie Blomquist. Cal Poly Humboldt roared out in front in the top of the third with one swing—with two aboard, Vanessa Saltos blasted an opposite field home run to right, giving the Lumberjacks a 3-1 lead.
Humboldt added another run in the top of the fourth, but in the bottom of the inning Chico State pulled to within one—Levy doubled and scored on Rocha's base hit up the middle, then later in the frame Rocha crossed the plate on a sacrifice bunt by Bles, making the score 4-3.
It would be as close as the 'Cats would get. The Lumberjacks added a pair of big insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, and winning pitcher Gaige Garcia set down Chico State without incident in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 4-3 victory.
Oldwin stepped into the pitcher's circle for the Wildcats in game two, and successfully kept the 'Jacks off the scoreboard for the first five innings. Meanwhile, Chico State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Seva singled, stole second base, and scored on a Stover triple down the right field line. A Humboldt error led to three unearned Wildcat runs in the fourth—before the inning was over, Willson had doubled home Levy and Oldwin, and Anastacia Alba scored on a base hit by Bles to extend the 'Cats' advantage to 4-0.
Oldwin's shutout bid was spoiled in the top of the sixth inning when a two-out Wildcat error allowed Humboldt State to score what would prove to be its only run of the contest. But Oldwin did not let that miscue derail her outstanding performance, as she retired the next hitter to end the inning, then set down the Lumberjacks in order in the seventh, giving Chico State the 4-1 win and the doubleheader split.
Oldwin struck out five and walked just one in notching her sixth complete game of the season and raising her season record to 6-7.
The Wildcats and Lumberjacks conclude their four-game series Tuesday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Fans 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.
