SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco State commenced its 2010 home schedule in style on Tuesday, notching a pair of one-run victories over Notre Dame de Namur in a non-conference doubleheader at SFSU Softball Field. The Gators opened with a wild 11-10 triumph in 10 innings, before edging the Argonauts, 4-3, in the nightcap. 

 

Pitcher Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, Calif., San Benito HS) (2-1) emerged triumphant in both games, while the offense banged out a combined 23 hits, helping SF State (5-3) extend its winning streak to five. Conversely, NDNU slips to 1-5 on the season following the sweep.

 

The Gators got off to a fast start in game one, as Lea Cardenas (Sanger, Calif., Sanger HS) knocked in Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, Calif., Gilroy HS) and Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, Calif., Pinole Valley HS) with a single and promptly advanced to third on an errant throw home from the outfield. Shortly thereafter, Alyssa Esquibel's (San Jose, Calif., Archbishop Mitty HS) RBI single plated Cardenas, giving SF State a 3-0 advantage.

 

The Argos quickly seized the momentum, however, scoring five times in the top of the second to take a 5-3 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded, Carli Leary drove in three with a double to right center, while Robin Araujo soon followed with a two-run homer over the left field fence.

 

SF State got another run back in the fourth when pinch-runner Kelly McDonald (Gilroy, Calif., Live Oak HS) scored on an NDNU throwing error and soon tied the game in the fifth on a Cardenas sacrifice fly that brought in Kendra Wood (San Jose, Calif., Lynbrook HS).

 

After a scoreless sixth, the Argos would take the lead in each of the ensuing three innings, only to see SF State rally to tie the game in its half of those frames.

 

Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Herrada walked, advanced to second on a groundout and later scored when Wood's shallow single to center was bobbled. Moments later, Jessica Delgado (Monterey, Calif., North Monterey County HS, Cal State Monterey Bay) knotted things up at 7-7 after singling home Wood, who moved up to second on the previous error and then tagged up to third on a fly ball.

 

With the tiebreaker rule in effect as the contest went to extra innings, Dani Gray opened the eighth on second base and promptly scored on Mary Ortega's double, putting NDNU on top once again, 8-7. The Gators took advantage of their scoring opportunity in the bottom of the stanza, as Danielle Mestas (Los Angeles, Calif., Venice HS ) crossed the plate on Heather Jensen's (Sacramento, California, Del Campo) single to center, tying the score once again at 8-8.

 

The Argos took advantage of an SF State throwing error in the ninth, scoring two unearned runs to reclaim a 10-8 advantage. However, the Gators once again displayed their resiliency in their half of the inning as Cardenas blasted her third home run of the season, scoring Gubbine, who was placed on second to start the frame.

 

After NDNU went down in order in the 10^th, SF State ended the suspense as a Summer Powell (Rocklin, Calif., Rocklin HS) infield single knocked in Rachael Kroneder (Pleasanton, Calif., Amador Valley HS, Chabot JC), who was placed on second and advanced to third on a bunt.

 

Ibarra picked up her first win as Gator, allowing just two unearned runs on one hit and one walk in three innings of relief. Meanwhile, Argo reliever Kristina Sewell (1-2) absorbed the loss, giving up four runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk in 2 2/3 innings.

 

Cardenas finished with five RBI and was one of four SF State batters to score two runs, joining Herrada, Gubbine and Wood.

 

The Gators fashioned another surge in the first inning of game two as Gubbine tripled home Herrada, who reached on an error, while Esquibel and Cara Spence (Colfax, Calif., Colfax HS) added RBI singles to give the host school a 3-0 cushion.

 

NDNU narrowed the gap in the top of the fourth, plating two runs on a Cassie Avila double and a Sammy McConvey single. However, SF State gave itself a little bit more breathing room in the bottom of the inning at 4-2, courtesy of Herrada, whose infield single drove in McDonald.

 

An Ortega RBI double in the top of the fifth trimmed the margin to 4-3; however, the Argos could draw no closer as Ibarra allowed just one hit the rest of the way to complete the sweep.

 

Ibarra surrendered just one run on three hits while striking out four after relieving starter Carolyn Knudson with one out in the fourth. NDNU starter Michelle MacMahon (0-1) went the distance, but was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs on nine hits and one walk in six innings.

 

Seven of the nine Gator starters recorded one hit, while Gubbine finished with two.