Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN FRANCISCO --- After grabbing leads heading into the top of the seventh, SF State surrendered late runs to Cal State Monterey Bay, but was able to overcome the runs in the first game of the California Collegiate Athletic Association series to win 4-3. The nightcap, however, didn't mirror the same sentiments as the Otters (25-20, 13-13 CCAA) held on to a 2-1 victory, forcing the Gators (16-26, 8-18 CCAA) to settle for a split.

Four Gators laid down hits in both games, led by Ashley Huff and Gabby Reta, each knocking three hits. Huff added two RBIs and Reta scored two runs for SF State. Lucy Fernandez and Kelsey Murakami added a pair of hits each, with Fernandez picking up an RBI and Murakami scoring a run. Marisa Ibarra threw one strikeout in the first game to improve to 12-10 on the season, and Emily Gibson struck out another Otter in the nightcap, but dropped to 3-13 from the circle.

Neither team put runs on the board in the opening inning of competition, but the Gators capitalized first in the bottom of the second. With runners at second and third and one out, Huff laid down a bunt to force Cori Reinhardt in the circle to try to make the out at home, but Murakami was already sprinting in and slid safe to put SF State up 1-0.

Reta opened up the Gators' lead in the bottom fifth by leading off the inning with a single to center field. Courtney Gravel sacrificed a bunt to advance Reta to second and Kylie Grabowski followed with a single through a hole on the right side to put Reta in scoring position at third. Fernandez reached on a fielder's choice as the Otters' second baseman got the force play at second, but Reta scored to extend the Gators' lead to 2-0.

Needing to hold Cal State Monterey Bay, the SF State defense made a key double play from Gravel and Murakami in the top of the sixth. With no outs and the tying runners on base, Gravel traveled deep in the dirt to catch a fly ball and hurled it over to Murakami to catch the runner of the bag. Three outs away from the win in the seventh, however, the Gators surrendered three runs off two hits and one error to give the Otters a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Determined to come out on top, Reta started the inning with a one-out single to right center. The Otters grabbed another out to put pressure on the Gators as Grabowski stepped up to the plate. Grabowski blasted a shot deep to left center, allowing Reta to round third for the tying run. CSUMB tried to get Reta out at home, but Reta missed the tag to tie the game at 3-3. The Otters' catcher then sent a throw off target to third, trying to get Grabowski out in the process, which allowed Grabowski to score the game winner and lift SF State 4-3 over Cal State Monterey Bay.

The nightcap started quiet for both teams until the fifth inning, when CSUMB looked to take the game in its hands. With bases loaded and one out, Lauren Ermitano blasted a double to center, clearing the bases, only to have it overturned as she wasn't re-entered into the lineup after being subsituted for a pinch runner earlier in the game. SF State found another out to end the inning unscathed and feeling energized with a big break.

In the bottom half of the inning, Cara Spence started the inning with a lead-off single to right field. Jennifer Lewis took over running for Spence and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brittany Barcellos. Huff knocked a base hit to left as the Otters' outfielder tried to make a diving play, allowing Lewis to score and put the Gators up 1-0.

Just like they had in the first game, however, the Otters registered a seventh inning rally to tie the game and then take the lead off three hits and an error. Despite putting the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the bottom half of the inning, the Gators couldn't string together a two-out rally to grab the game back, falling 2-1 for the split.

SF State and CSU Monterey Bay finish out the four-game series Saturday with another doubleheader at the SFSU Softball Field, beginning at 12 p.m.