SAN FRANCISCO – The SF State softball team finished the year in the win column, defeating Cal State East Bay 5-2 in the season finale on the strength of great relief pitching and timely hitting. With the win the Gators earned a split on senior day.
The Pioneers (28-22/16-19 CCAA) took game one of Saturday's double header, winning 5-4, in a back and forth game that was finally decided when freshman catcher Sara Higa flied out to deep right field to end a thrilling bottom of the seventh.
The Gators (12-40/7-29 CCAA) entered that inning trailing by two runs, but senior third baseman Lucy Fernandez clubbed her second home run of the season and seventh of her career, a no-doubt shot over the left field fence, to cut the Pioneers lead in half.
Both teams scored a run in the first and matched each other with two in the third. Seniors Courtney Gravel and Selina Rodriguez started the first inning rally with singles, both moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI bunt by Fernandez.
The Gators third baseman had a memorable final day in the purple and gold. She finished the afternoon going 4-for-8 with five RBI. The five RBI gives Fernandez 81 for her career which makes her 10th all-time at SF State. She also clubbed a double on the day, the 10th of the season and 29th of her career, the 29 career doubles is seventh all-time.
Her fellow seniors joined her in posting big numbers for the day. Gravel finished the afternoon going 4-for-8 with four runs scored. She wraps-up her career with 196 hits which is fifth all-time and 95 runs scored, which is ninth. Rodriguez finished the day with a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored.
Megan Clark took the ball for the Gators in the opener, she managed just two innings, while surrendering four hits, three runs, all earned with a walk. With the wind howling out to left center, her day ended with back-to-back solo home runs in the top of the third before she could record an out.
Lindsey Cassidy (0-3) pitched 2.2 strong innings of relief. She got the Gators out of the third on four pitches. She allowed four hits, one earned run with a strike out.
The Pioneers scored the tie-breaking run in the top of the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by Marisa Lerma and Lauren Vestal.
CSUEB's starter Jordan Abel threw 5.0 complete, she surrendered seven hits, three runs, two earned with two walks and two strike outs. Sierra Clark came into the game in the bottom of the sixth and threw 2.0 complete with, the one solo home run to Fernandez was her lone blemish as she picked up her third save of the season.
In the nightcap the Gators offense struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. SF State took advantage of Pioneer defensive miscues to grab the early lead. Once again facing Clark (14-11), Gravel led off the inning with a single. A sacrifice bunt and an error on the shortstop allowed Gravel to score from second.
The one run looked like it was going to hold up, as Gators' starter Jenny Obbema looked strong in the early going. Behind tremendous defense, she pitched three quick innings before running into trouble in the top of the fourth. A one out double to center plated a pair and ended the day for Obbema, who threw 3.1 innings, scattering three hits, two runs, one earned, with a walk.
Aryn Guzman came into the game for Obbema but was unable to record an out, and loaded the bases back up for the Pioneers with a pair of walks. Head coach Cristina Byrne once again turned to her bullpen and brought Courtney Dunkel (4-7) into the game.
Dunkel got the Gators out of the jam with a lazy pop up to short and was near un-touchable from there. She threw 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, scattering three hits, with two strike outs to earn her fourth win of the season.
In the bottom of the fourth inning the Gators offense finally figured out the mystery of Sierra Clark, roughing her up with four runs. The big hit came on two-out double that missed being a home run by a foot from Fernandez that plated a pair. A key two-out error with Jennifer Lewis on a fly ball in shallow center field allowed Gravel and Guzman to score.
Clark pitched 5.0 complete, surrendering seven hits, five runs, none of them earned, with three walks and three strike outs.
With the 5-2 lead, Dunkel silenced the Pioneers in the top of the seventh, but not before a loud leadoff single that one-hopped the fence. Following the single, Dunkel got the next three batters out via a pair of strike outs and a fielder's choice. Dunkel ended the game getting CSUEB's Cassie Vela to strike out looking at a nasty pitch on the outer half of the strike zone.
For the day, the Gators offense collected nine runs on 16 hits. Chelsea Brent went 2-for-2 on the day with three walks. Guzman went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk in the finale.
Game 1 Box Score (HTML)
Game 2 Box Score (HTML)
Senior Day Video
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Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments. For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
