SAN FRANCISCO – Fueled by the pitching of
Ashley Jackson and the long-ball hitting of
Heather Jensen and
Summer Powell, San Francisco State posted a 3-1 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in game one of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday at SFSU Softball Field.
The Gators (15-26, 8-20 CCAA) were unable to duplicate the feat in the nightcap, however, as the Coyotes (28-17, 15-13 CCAA) claimed a 3-0 decision to square the weekend series at two games apiece.
Despite stranding 14 runners in the opener, SF State benefited from the power of Jensen and Powell, who each smacked lead-off home runs in the first and second innings, respectively, while Jackson (9-12) gave up just one run on six hits and no walks to go along with five strikeouts in seven innings en route to her 16th complete game of the year.
Jensen went the opposite direction for her second round-tripper of the season, depositing a 2-0 pitch from CSUSB starter Carly Land (7-5) over the right field fence in the first, while Powell blasted her fifth homer of the year with a towering shot to center in the ensuing frame to give the host school a 2-0 advantage, which hastened Land's departure in the process.
SF State then tacked on a run in the fifth off reliever Cassidy Lee as
Kylie Herrada's single to left plated pinch runner
Kelsey Murakami, who entered following
Cara Spence's double and promptly advanced on a wild pitch.
Jackson, meanwhile, kept the Coyotes in check until the seventh when Jamie Leffingwell doubled home Courtney Wilhelms with no outs to trim the deficit to 3-1. Shortly thereafter, the Gator hurler got out of a potential jam as Alyssa Flores struck out, while Jamie Roland hit a soft liner to center where a fast-charging Herrada made the catch and alertly threw to second to double off Leffingwell, who strayed too far off the bag.
Herrada went 3-for-4 with the aforementioned RBI, while Jensen and
Kendra Wood finished with two hits apiece.
SF State, which banged out 11 hits as a team in game one, was limited to just three in the nightcap as CSUSB starter Briann Godfredson (8-4) completed her second shutout the season after walking three and striking out five.
Marisa Ibarra (3-8) also went the distance in the circle for the Gators, giving up just three hits and two walks, but was saddled with the tough-luck loss after allowing a trio of runs in the top of the fourth.
In that decisive frame, Leffingwell hit a one-out single and promptly stole second. After a strikeout, Wilhelms threaded a base hit through the right side to plate Leffingwell, while Priscilla Curiel followed with her ninth homer of the season to provide the visitors a 3-0 cushion.
That would be all the support Godfredson would need as SF State mounted just one serious threat in the sixth when a two-out walk to
Lea Cardenas loaded the bases. However, the Coyote hurler wiggled free of trouble, inducing a flyout to end the inning, before retiring the Gators in order in the seventh to preserve the win.
SF State concludes its busy weekend on Sunday when it tackles Cal State East Bay in a nonconference twin bill beginning at 12 noon in Hayward.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
