SAN FRANCISCO – Starting pitcher Marisa Ibarra struck out a season-high seven batters and Lea Cardenas belted a grand slam to help San Francisco State defeat Cal State East Bay, 10-3, Wednesday afternoon in the completion of last weekend's suspended game at SFSU Softball Field.

The Gators took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning in the nightcap of a doubleheader Sunday, before play was halted due to rain.

When the two teams returned to the diamond, SF State wasted little time extending its advantage as Cardenas' big hit provided the host school a 9-2 cushion. After Kelsey Murakami and Kelsey Wood drew consecutive walks, Alyssa Esquibel singled through the left side, setting the table for Cardenas.

Despite allowing 10 hits, Ibarra (1-6) did not walk a batter en route to her first victory of the season. Meanwhile, her Pioneer counterpart Talia Ferrari (4-5) was credited with the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.

In addition to Cardenas' heroics, Murakami, Kylie Herrada and Kelsey Wood had two hits in the game, while Esquibel finished with three runs batted in.

Unfortunately, SF State was unable to sustain the momentum in game one of Wednesday's regularly scheduled twin bill as East Bay rallied for a 4-3 victory in eight innings.

The Gators opened the scoring with an unearned run in the bottom of the first when Herrada touched home on an infield error. The Pioneers soon responded with a marker in the second as Devon Mercurio singled in pinch runner Renaye Gamson to knot the score at 1-1.

SF State took the lead in the fourth when Esquibel's single to left center plated pinch runner Heather Jensen, who entered the contest following Kelsey's Wood's base hit and promptly moved over to third on Kendra Wood's sacrifice bunt and a stolen base.

The score remained unchanged until the East Bay recorded a run in the seventh to send the contest into extra frames as Kassy Winger doubled home Dani Foster with two outs.

The Pioneers quickly loaded the bases in the top of the eighth when Breezy Johnson laced a single to right, bringing in Sara Holdridge and Devin Salmones to put the visitors up 4-2.

The Gators threatened with three straight singles in their half of the inning, but managed just one run. Kelsey Wood's base hit plated Murakami; however, East Bay got out of the jam when a fielder's choice grounder ended the game.

Ferrari (5-5) rebounded from her earlier defeat, pitching all eight innings to earn the victory, while SF State starter Ashley Jackson (4-11) went the distance as well, yielding four runs on 11 hits and two walks in the loss.

Wood went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Herrada finished with two hits and two runs scored to lead the Gator offense. Conversely, eight Pioneer batters had a least one hit, including two apiece by Mercurio and Holdridge.

In the second game, the Gators lost 4-1 to the visiting Cal State East Bay Pioneers (13-15, 10-14 CCAA). The Pioneers put a two-spot on the board in the first inning on a two-run home run by Emily Montanez, her first of the season. They added an insurance run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Jamie Yaller that drove in Breezy Johnson.

Cal State East Bay added its fourth and final run of the game on a Kassandra Winger single to left center that drove in Johnson in the top of the sixth inning.

SF State (8-21, 6-18 CCAA) scored its only run in the sixth on a RBI double by Kendra Wood that drove in Heather Jensen, who finished 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and a run scored in the night cap.

Kelly Lowe (5-4) picked up the win, pitching a complete game five-hitter, giving up just one run while striking out two and walking two. 

Jordan Stanaland (3-2) recorded the loss for SF State, who will return to the diamond this weekend in Turlock, Calif., as the Gators participate in the Mizuno Tournament of Champions.


-SFSU-
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Suspended Game Box Score

Wednesday's Game One Box Score

Wednesday's Game Two Box Score