SEASIDE, Calif. – San Francisco State dropped a pair of games to Cal State Monterey Bay Friday afternoon in a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader at CSUMB Softball Complex in Seaside, Calif. The Gators came up on the short end of a 6-2 decision in the opener, before suffering a 12-3 setback in game two.
With the sweep, SF State slips to 14-19 on the year and 9-9 in conference play, while the Otters, who are ranked sixth in the first NCAA Division II West Region poll of the season, move to 23-11 overall and 16-6 in the CCAA.
CSUMB jumped out of the gates quickly in game one as Jamie Moon's RBI single in the bottom of the first inning brought home Angelina Orozco, who previously reached on an infield hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Moments later, Niki Ames drove in Moon with a single to center, giving the hosts a quick 2-0 lead.
The Otters stretched the margin to 5-0 in the second as Channing Peebles knocked in Nicole Garcia with a ground-rule double to right center, while Jenny Montez and Moon soon followed with RBI singles.
CSUMB then added a single marker in the bottom of the fifth, before the Gators finally broke through with a pair of scores in the top of the seventh as
Lea Cardenas' (Sanger, Calif., Sanger HS) two-run single plated
Heather Jensen (Sacramento, Calif., Del Campo HS) and
Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, Calif., Pinole Valley HS). Earlier, Jensen reached on a fielder's choice and moved up to second after Gubbine singled down the right field line. After a strikeout, pinch hitter
Deana Querubin (San Jose, Calif., Milpitas HS) walked to load the bases, setting the stage for Cardenas' hit.
SF State was unable to keep the rally going; however, as Otter reliever Jessica Moon induced a strikeout to end the game. Diane Ortiz earned the victory, allowing just three hits and one walk in five innings. Meanwhile,
Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, Calif., St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS) (7-7) took the loss for the Gators after giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks.
Ortiz (11-7) also picked up the win in the nightcap, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Garcia, yielding just one hit while surviving three walks.
After CSUMB went in front 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Gators responded with two runs in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead.
Summer Powell (Rocklin, Calif., Rocklin HS) drew a one-out walk, while Kelly McDonald (Gilroy, Calif., Live Oak HS) followed with a single through the left side. Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, Calif., Gilroy HS) then roped a base hit to left field, scoring Powell, while McDonald soon crossed the plate when Gubbine reached on an error.
The Gator momentum was soon derailed, however, as the Otters erupted for five runs on seven hits in the bottom of the third. Ortiz supplied the big hit with a two-run single, while Shae Olds, Ames and Cat Sampson added RBIs as well, providing CSUMB with a 6-2 cushion.
SF State pushed across a run in the top of the fourth when
Danielle Mestas (Los Angeles, Calif., Venice HS) drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Powell. Ortiz entered for Garcia at this juncture and snuffed out the Gator threat by inducing a strikeout to end the inning.
CSUMB responded with a single run of its own in the bottom of the frame, before exploding for five additional scores in the sixth to put the game out of reach. In the final frame, Olds blasted a three-run homer down the left field line, while Ortiz belted a two-run shot shortly thereafter to give the hosts the run-rule victory.
Gator starter
Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, Calif., San Benito HS) (5-5) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings. The Otters smacked 16 hits for the game, with Olds (five RBI), Ames and Jamie Moon finishing with three apiece. Meanwhile, Powell notched two runs and two hits to pace SF State.
