HAYWARD, Calif. – The visiting San Francisco State softball team opened its 2010 California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule on Friday, splitting a doubleheader with Cal State East Bay Friday afternoon at Pioneer Field. The Gators (1-3, 1-1 CCAA) dropped a 4-1 decision in the opener before posting a 3-0 shutout over the Pioneers (1-1, 1-1 CCAA) in the nightcap.
Game one was scoreless until the bottom of the third when CSUEB plated three runs on Ashlee Coronado's RBI single and sacrifice flies by Catherine Schorn and Rachelle Boone.
SF State finally broke through in the top of the fifth on Lea Cardenas' (Sanger, Calif., Sanger HS) lead-off home run, the 18th of her career. However, the Pioneers added an insurance run in the bottom of the frame when Schorn doubled in Sarah Hasenfus.
Schorn (1-0) went the distance in the circle as well, allowing just three hits and two walks to pick up the victory, while Kendra Wood (San Jose, Calif. Lynbrook HS) (0-1) absorbed the loss after surrendering three runs on three hits and two walks in three innings before giving way to Carolyn Knudson (Napa, Calif., Vintage HS, Napa Valley College).
The Gators got off to an early start in game two, scoring single runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. In the top of the first, Knudson singled home Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, Calif., Gilroy HS), who led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then in the second, Rachael Kroneder's (Pleasanton, Calif., Amador Valley HS, Chabot JC) double brought home Heather Jensen (Sacramento, Calif., Del Campo HS), giving SF State starter Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, Calif., St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS) the cushion she needed.
Jackson (1-0) threw just 60 pitches en route to the 11th shutout and 40th complete game of her career, giving up just three hits while striking out five. CSUEB's Lauren Zweigle (0-1) also went the distance, but was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and one walk.
The Gators received a bit of insurance in the fifth when Alyssa Esquibel (San Jose, Calif., Archbishop Mitty HS) led off with her fifth career home run.
SF State and the Pioneers will wrap up their four-game series on Saturday with another doubleheader in Hayward beginning at noon.
