SEASIDE, Calif.--- The SF State's softball team split its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) road doubleheader with the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (24-12, 17-7 CCAA) this afternoon in Seaside, winning game one 5-4 in nine innings and losing the night cap 9-1. Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, California, St. Patrick's-St. Vincent) struck out 8 batters en route to the complete game victory in game one while Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, California, Gilroy) had three of the Gators' seven hits. 

 

Cal State Monterey Bay struck first in the opener with a three-run third second inning two-out bases clearing double to left center by Channing Peebles. SF State cut the Otter lead to 3-1, when Kelsey Wood drove in Herrada with a two-out single through the right side after Herrada reached on a single and advanced to second on a walk by Heather Jensen (Sacramento, California, Del Campo) 

 

The Gators took the lead with a three-run sixth inning. Alyssa Esquibel (San Jose, California, Archbishop Mitty)walked with two outs. Kelly McDonald (Gilroy, California, Live Oak)came in to pinch run for her and scored on a pinch hit double by Carolyn Knudson (Napa, California, Napa Valley Junior College).  Knudson scored on a run scoring triple down the left field by Herrada. She then scored as Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, California, Pinole Valley) reached on an error to make the score SF State 4-3.

 

Niki Ames then homered in the Otter half of the sixth to tie the game at 4-4. Both teams were held scoreless in the next two innings. In the Gator ninth, Jensen singled down the right field line with one out and advanced to second on a walk to Kelsey Wood (San Jose, California, Lynbrook). Then Lea Cardenas (Sanger, California, Sanger) drove in Jensen with the go-ahead run on a double. 

 

Jackson walked the lead-off batter in the Otters' half of the ninth, but she struck out the next two batters and got the final out on a ground out. She pitched nine innings of five-hit ball, striking out 8 and walking three while giving up four runs (one earned). 

 

Diane Ortiz (11-8) recorded the loss for the Otters, giving up seven hits, five runs (four earned) while striking out 10 and walking six. 

 

Niki Ames had three of the Otters' five hits off of Jackson while Herrada finished game one 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI.

 

The Gators scored first in the night cap in the top of the second inning. McDonald opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on a walk to Esquibel. She then went to third on a sacrifice by Cara Spence (Colfax, California, Colfax).  Then with two outs, Gubbine walked to load the bases for Herrada who also walked to drive in McDonald with the game's first run.

 

The score remained 1-0 Gators until the Otter third when Cal State Monterey Bay erupted for six runs on six hits. Nicole Garcia pinch-hit two-out two-run triple to center field capped the scoring for the Otters giving the hosts a 6-1 lead. They added one more run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take the 9-1 victory. 

 

Jessica Moon (6-2) recorded the win for Cal State Monterey Bay, pitching 5 innings of four-hit ball while striking out three, walking four and giving up one run. 

 

Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, California, San Benito ) (5-6) recorded the loss for the Gators, who are now 15-20 overall and 10-10 in the CCAA. Four different Gators had one hit apiece.

 

SF State returns to the softball diamond this Wednesday, April 7 at 1pm for a non-conference doubleheader in Belmont, Calif., against the Notre Dame de Namur Argonauts. The Gators defeated the Argonauts earlier this season 11-10 and 4-3 in San Francisco.  

Box Score Game One

Box Score Game Two