Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SAN FRANCISCO – After a five-day delay due to rainy weather and soggy field conditions, the San Francisco State softball team finally opened its four-game home series against ninth-ranked Chico State on Tuesday.  However, the Gators were unable to benefit from the extra layoff as the Wildcats received some fine pitching to help capture both ends of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader by scores of 2-0 and 7-2.
 
With the sweep, Chico moves to 20-5 on the season and 14-4 in league play, while SF State slips to 6-20 overall and 3-15 in the CCAA.
 
In game one, Wildcat starter Sam Baker (8-3) struck out seven batters and allowed just three hits and a walk for her first complete-game shutout of the year, while her Gator counterpart Ali Garcia (1-4) went the distance as well, but gave up both runs on four hits and two walks in the hard-luck loss.
 
Sam Quadt's infield single plated Jackie Munoz to give Chico a 1-0 advantage in the top of the third inning, before the visitors added an insurance run in the sixth as Bianca Lopez scored on Hailey Stockman's sacrifice fly to right field.
 
SF State put two runners aboard in the bottom of the fourth after Lucy Fernandez reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on Kylie Grabowski's second double of the contest.  However, Baker induced a fly-out on the very next batter to the center fielder Lopez, who alertly gunned down Fernandez at the plate to squelch the Gator threat.
 
Baker then retired nine of 10 hitters over the final three frames, allowing only a walk in the sixth during that span to seal the victory.
 
SF State was unable to avoid the big inning in the nightcap as Chico scored three runs apiece in the second and fourth innings to break open a tight 1-0 ballgame.
 
Stockman went 3-for-5 at the plate to fuel the Wildcats' 10-hit attack, including run-scoring singles in the first and second.  Chico also received a sacrifice fly by Taylor Hanamaikai in the fourth inning to help nail down win No. 11 in its last 13 outings.
Kayla McConnell pitched the final four innings in relief of starter Jessica McDermott, scattering two runs on eight hits to improve to 4-1 on the year, while Torrey Rook (0-3) absorbed the defeat after surrendering all seven runs on seven hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings of work, before yielding to Becky Nakano.
 
SF State finally dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Fernandez touched home on Cara Spence's run-scoring single, while Ashley Huff added an RBI groundout in the seventh to account for the final margin.
 
Courtney Gravel had two hits and a stolen base to pace the Gators, who will wrap up their four-game set against the Wildcats on Wednesday with another twin-bill, starting at noon.