SAN FRANCISCO – Alyssa Esquibel singled home
Heather Jensen with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday, lifting San Francisco State to a 2-1 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in the second game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader at SFSU Softball Field. The Gators rebounded from a 7-6 extra-inning loss in game one to raise their record to 14-25 on the season, while the Coyotes move to 27-16 overall and 14-12 in conference play.
In the nightcap, SF State starter
Marisa Ibarra (3-7) struck out six batters and allowed just three CSUSB baserunners – a solo home run by Stefanie Pace, an infield single by Alex Mitchell and a walk to Jamie Leffingwell – en route to her sixth complete game of the year. Meanwhile, the Coyotes' Carly Land (7-4) absorbed the loss after giving up the deciding run on three hits and one walk in three innings of work in relief of starter Briann Godfredson.
The Gators drew first blood in the bottom of the first when
Kelsey Wood's fielder's choice grounder plated Jensen, who led off with a base hit through the left side and advanced on consecutive bunt singles by
Kylie Herrada and Esquibel.
With a slim 1-0 advantage in hand, SF State had a chance to extend its lead in the fourth after
Jenna Robertson walked with one out to load the bases. However, Land induced a pop up and a ground out to end the Gator threat.
Ibarra, meanwhile, was dominant through the first four frames, retiring 12 consecutive hitters until Pace blasted a 0-1 offering over the left field fence in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1.
The score remained unchanged until the seventh as Jensen blooped a hit inside the foul line in right field and promptly moved over to second when Herrada's grounder found an open lane between third and short. Esquibel then stepped up to the plate and threaded a single through the right side to bring in Jensen, who slid safely around catcher Jamie Roland's tag attempt as the SF State bench cleared in celebration.
CSUSB was the beneficiary of some late-inning magic in game one as Jacquelyn Holtzclaw raced home with what proved to be the game-winning run on pinch-hitter Felicia Cervantes' RBI groundout with two outs in the top of the eighth inning.
Pitcher Cassidy Lee (10-7) then set the Purple and Gold down in order in the bottom of the frame to nail down her team-leading 10
th victory of the season. Lee allowed just one hit and one walk in 3 2/3 innings after replacing Land with one out in the fifth.
Jordan Stanaland (3-4), meanwhile, took the loss after giving up three runs on five hits and a walk in four innings of relief following starter
Ashley Jackson.
Kelsey Wood provided SF State with a huge spark in the bottom of the first when she belted a three-run homer deep to left field, plating Jensen and Herrada.
The Coyote offense soon came to life, however, as the visitors tallied six markers over the next four innings, including a three-run outburst in the fifth, to take a 6-3 lead. In that frame, Roland provided the big hit with a two-run double to left center, while Pace touched home on Britney Butler's grounder shortly thereafter.
The Gators quickly responded with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the inning as Herrada's sacrifice fly brought in Robertson, while Jensen touched the plate moments later on Esquibel's infield hit. Maslak then entered as a pinch runner, advancing to third on consecutive walks to
Lea Cardenas and
Kelsey Wood, before racing home on a fielder's choice play at second, which knotted the scoreboard at 6-6.
SF State had a chance in the seventh after Herrada led off with a single. However, Lee fought herself off the ropes with a flyout and consecutive strikeouts to send the contest into extra frames.
CSUSB wasted no time taking the lead as Holtzclaw opened the eighth with a single to left, followed by a stolen base, while Leffingwell followed with a sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Cervantes' clutch hit.
Pace and Prisicilla Curiel (two runs) each tallied three hits to lead the Coyote offense, while Herrada and Esquibel finished with two apiece for the Gators.
