SAN FRANCISCO – Brittany Alavarado tripled home two runs in the top of the eighth inning and later scored on Caydi Dommeyer's double as the Cal State Monterey Bay softball team defeated San Francisco State, 6-3, in the second game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday at SFSU Softball Field. The win enabled the Otters (9-18, 7-12 CCAA) to complete the sweep after posting a 2-1 victory in the opener.
CSUMB's Kylie Linnane took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the nightcap before the Gators (6-19, 4-16 CCAA) rallied with three runs to send the contest into extra frames.
Lea Cardenas recorded SF State's first hit of the day with a roller past the outstretched arm of Otter shortstop Jackie Serna, while
Alyssa Esquibel followed with a bouncer that found daylight up the middle. After a wild pitch,
Kendra Wood's sacrifice fly to deep right field plated Cardenas, while pinch-runner
Kylie Herrada took third. Following a strikeout and a walk to
Deana Querubin, pinch-hitter
Kelly Mast delivered a bloop single to center field, scoring Herrada.
Kelly McDonald, who re-entered for Querubin, slid into third and promptly scored on the play after the relay throw struck her and bounced away.
The Gators comeback hopes were soon dashed, however, as CSUMB pushed across three markers in the top of the eighth. Shae Olds led off the stanza with a single through the left side, while Serna followed with a base on balls. SF State appeared to have fought itself off the ropes after a strikeout and a pop-up; however, Alavarado drilled a 1-1 pitch just past a valiant lunge by a sprinting Esquibel deep in right field to put the Otters ahead to stay. Moments later, CSUMB closed out the scoring when Dommeyer roped a double to the base of the fence in left field to bring in Alavarado.
Linnane quickly retired the Gators in order in the bottom of the inning to even her record at 4-4 on the season. The Otters hurler gave up three runs on three hits and four walks while striking out seven en route to the victory. Meanwhile, SF State reliever
Marisa Ibarra (0-6) absorbed the loss after allowing the three go-ahead runs.
Jordan Stanaland started in the circle for the Purple and Gold, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and no walks in 5 1/3 innings.
After nursing a slim 1-0 advantage into the top of the sixth, CSUMB padded its lead when Serna blasted her sixth home run of the season over the left field fence, driving in pinch-runner Skyler Valdivia.
The Otters were also able to work some late magic in game one as Angelina Orozco scored from third base with one out in the top of the seventh to break a 1-1 deadlock. Orozco and Stevie Trevino led off the frame with singles and advanced on Jamie Moon's sacrifice bunt. After a walk to Olds to load the bases, Serna reached on a Gator fielding error, bringing in Orozco with the eventual winning run.
SF State put a runner aboard in the bottom of the inning, but CSUMB pitcher Caitlin Wallace induced a ground out and an infield pop-up to end the game. Wallace (2-2) went the distance, yielding just one run on five hits and one walk to earn the victory, while her Gator counterpart
Ashley Jackson (4-10) was saddled with the tough loss after surrendering two runs (both unearned) in seven innings as well on nine hits and three walks.
The Otters opened the scoring in the top of the first when Serna drove in Moon with single through the left side, before the Gators knotted things up in the sixth on Esquibel's RBI single, which brought in
Lauren Maslak from third.
Serna finished with a combined four RBI and three runs scored on the day, while Orozco and Alavarado collected three hits apiece. Cardenas and Esquibel, meanwhile, led the Purple and Gold with two hits each.
SF State will return to the diamond next weekend, March 18-19, when it plays host to non-conference foe Grand Canyon in a three-game series. The two sides will lock horns in a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a single contest on Saturday, starting at 12 noon.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
