Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 San Francisco, Calif. – The SF State softball team received a tremendous pitching performance from Courtney Dunkel, who earned her second-career win in game one, and was boosted by the hot bat of first baseman Marisa Andrade as the Gators split Wednesday's doubleheader against visiting Notre Dame de Namur, winning game one 7-2 before falling 7-4 in the nightcap.

Dunkel (2-3) started game one, throwing five strong innings and pitched two more in relief in game two.  For the afternoon she pitched seven total innings, scattering seven hits, one earned run with a walk and a strike out.  Andrade went a combined 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, a home run and two runs driven in.

"I felt like we played well in game one," said head coach Cristina Byrne.  "Courtney (Dunkel) bounced back from the first inning run and threw well.  The offense was being productive getting on and we finally busted through with a handful of two out RBI hits that were key in the win.  We played great defense and made some game saving and game changing plays that really led us to victory." 

In game one, Dunkel earned the win going five complete, scattering six hits, one earned run with a walk.  The lone blemish on the day was a solo home run coming on a 2-2 count with two outs in the top of the first to designated player Breanna Young who hit her eighth home run of the season.

From there it was all Gators (15-28) who roughed up Notre Dame de Namur's (17-25) starter, Jenna Bassler (10-8) for seven runs on 10 hits. 

SF State tied the game in the bottom of the second when Kelsey Murakami walked with one out and scored on the double down the right field line from catcher Kylie Grabowski.  Murakami would have a busy day, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in game one.
The Gators took the lead for good in the fourth inning.  Murakami led off the inning with a base hit up the middle; she stole second to move into scoring position.  With two outs, Andrade kept the inning alive with a base hit up the middle, Aryn Guzman put the ball in play, reaching safely on the first of two errors by the Argonauts in the inning, which allowed Murakami to score.  A base hit by Courtney Gravel and an error by the third baseman on the ball hit by Selina Rodriguez allowed two more runs to score.

Dunkel came out for the top half of the sixth inning and immediately ran into a little trouble, surrendering a leadoff double to Young.  A single by Kaydi Kochi put runners at the corners with no outs.  From there, Dunkel got some help. 

Jenny Obbema came into the game in relief and immediately the defense did their part.  Grabowski threw out Kochi attempting to steal second for the first out of the inning and one play later Gabby Reta threw a frozen rope to the catcher to throw out Young attempting to score on the single by Cheyenne Koki.  With two outs and a runner at first Obbema ended the inning getting a harmless ground ball to third.

The Gators added three more runs in the bottom half of the inning for insurance and Obbema pitched around a walk and an RBI double in the seventh to earn her first save of the season.

In the night cap the Gators sent ace Megan Clark (6-11) to the circle.  Unfortunately, Clark was shaky early, and was touched up for four hits, five runs, four earned in 2.1 innings.

"In game two it was a tale of two teams," said Byrne.  "We made errors that cost us runs, we weren't sharp on defense, and we didn't get the clutch hitting.  I thought Aryn (Guzman) coming in, in relief was awesome!  She pitched great and helped herself on the mound. I was really proud of her.  But we didn't really support her.  Missy (Marisa Andrade) came up huge to pull us ahead in the second with that home run and we had a bit of a rally in the fifth, but the bats went quiet and the gloves didn't show up and it cost us that second game."

Like they did in game one the Argonauts scored first, back-to-back singles by Courtney Azevedo and Jaylyn Gutierrez and an error by Lewis allowed Azevedo to score.

The Gators came right back, thanks in part to the hot bat of Andrade who clubbed her second home run of the season, a two-run blast in the bottom of the second to answer.  The lead didn't last however, as the Argonauts scored four runs in the third to end Clark's day.

Guzman entered the game in relief in the top of the third inning to make her collegiate debut in the circle.  She pitched 2.2 effective innings, scattering three hits, two runs, one earned with three walks.  The Argonauts scored a run in the fourth and again in the fifth.

NDNU starter Shelby Reali (6-15) earned the win going seven complete, surrendering seven hits, four runs, all earned, with three walks and three strike outs.  She escaped a bases loaded jam in the fifth, getting a 1-2-3 inning ending double play, which was the Gators last scoring threat.

SF State returns to action on Friday when they begin a four-game CCAA series against No. 15 UC San Diego starting at 1:00 p.m. at the SF State Softball Field.

Complete Box Score of Game 1 (HTML)

Complete Box Score of Game 2 (HTML)