NOVATO/SAN RAFAEL - It was a tough weekend in the Bay Area for the Wildcats, unable to scoop up a win on their first doubleheader day of the season against two solid programs. They started Saturday morning with an extra-innings loss to the undefeated Western Washington Vikings and a grueling 6-1 loss to the Urban Knights in Novato.
In game one against the flawless WWU, it was a slow start to the game, with neither team making much happen until the Vikings opened up the scoring in the Top of the third with two runs on a wild pitch and a fielding error to give them the lead over the 'Cats.
Ali Lewis responded outstandingly, homering to left field in the second game of her collegiate career. The freshman catcher led the way against the Vikings, driving in two more runs in the next frame to take the lead 3-2, singling to left center and allowing Gracie Dunning and Taylor Berens to cross home plate.
The Vikings rallied back to tie up the game in the fifth inning after a single drove in the tying run. After two scoreless innings, this run forced the game into extra innings until the ninth frame when a sacrifice fly pushed a scoring Viking across home and decided the game.
Katelyn Oldwin got her first pitches in the circle of the season against WWU, striking out four batters in the five innings she pitched. Teammate Amelie Valdez pitched four innings and struck out an identical amount of batters.
Game 2 of the Wildcats doubleheader and final match of the North Bay Challenge was against Academy of Art, another non-conference opponent from the PacWest.
The Urban Knights took a resounding lead in the first inning, starting with a double into center field from Audrey Allen to give two of her teammates the chance to score.
The Wildcats responded nicely with a run of their own in the first inning, with Mia Santos quickly reaching home plate off a single up the middle from Brianna Swihart. The Martinez native recorded her first RBI of the year as a new addition to the Wildcats squad.
Katelyn Oldwin stepped in the circle for the Wildcats following a tough second inning for Chico State, giving up four runs behind solid offense from the Urban Knights. Oldwin recorded five strikouts in her four innings pitched on Saturday.
Despite the slanted scoreline, the Wildcats were error-less in their second game.
The Chico State softball team will travel down to Carson to face off against Cal State Dominguez Hills in their first conference series next Friday and Saturday, looking to capture their first win and make another appearance in the CCAA postseason tournament. Catch all the action on the CCAA Network, and don't miss a pitch.
