Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHICO --- After shutting out the Chico State Wildcats 8-0 in six innings earlier this season, SF State struggled to produce offensively and dropped both games in the California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Friday afternoon. The Gators could only grab one run in the first half, falling 4-1 to the 'Cats before surrendering a 2-0 loss in the nightcap.

"We got away from our game plan and what had made us successful offensively," said head coach Cristina Byrne. "We took a lot of pitches and weren't aggressive, which came to bite us on the scoreboard. Emily [Gibson] and Marisa [Ibarra] pitched very well and kept us in both games, but some timely errors on defense in the first game and a lack of offense in both games was our demise."

The losses puts the Gators standing at 5-6 overall, 1-5 in CCAA action, hoping to break out of the rut. Chico State improves to 5-6 on the season, 3-3 in conference play, with the wins.

Chico State's pitching duos--Kayla McConnel in the first game and Alex Molina in the second--shut the Gators down at the plate, only surrendering a total of two hits and one run, all of which came in the first game. Kylie Grabowski and Jennifer Lewis were the only two to grab hits for SF State, with Grabowski batting in Lewis for the run.

Both teams started slow in the first contest, with Grabowski grabbing the first hit for the Gators in the top of the second, doubling to left field. Marisa Andrade pushed Grabowski to third after sacrificing a bunt hit, but SF State left Grabowski out there as the next two Gators grounded out to end their turn at the plate. 

The Gators held off the Wildcats until the bottom of the third when Kelli Keefe took advantage of a Gator error to put the host Chico State team on the board first. The Wildcats added their three additional runs in the fifth off two hits, including a two-run homer from Desiree Gonzalez, giving CSUC a 4-0 lead.

Trailing 4-0 in their last chance at bat, the Gators succeeded in preventing the shutout, but couldn't score the four runs to keep the game alive. With one out, Lewis tripled down the right field line to spark some hope into the SF State dugout. Grabowski stepped up to the plate and laid down a ground ball to the Wildcats' shortstop, but couldn't beat the throw to get on base. Despite the second out, Lewis scored on the play and Chico State grabbed the third out in the next play to end the game 4-1 in favor of the Wildcats.

Looking to break out of their slump, the Gators couldn't make the adjustments needed to pick up hits on offense. Molina completed seven innings in the circle for the Wildcats without allowing a single hit or run, despite walking Lewis. The Chico State offense backed its pitcher with two runs to take the nightcap 2-0 for the doubleheader sweep.

SF State will look to break out of its slump with another doubleheader against Chico State on Saturday, starting at 12 p.m. once again at Chico.