SAN FRANCISCO – In both halves of San Francisco State's two-game sweep over Cal State East Bay, the story line was pitching and clutch hitting. The Gators received two tremendous pitching performances from their starting pitchers, who were the beneficiaries of timely hitting. None bigger than the pinch hit home run by
Celeste Adriano in game two that proved to be the difference.
SF State (3-1/2-0 CCAA) opened CCAA play in spectacular fashion. The Gators starting pitchers combined to throw 14.0 innings, scattering five earned runs as
Megan Clark (1-1) and
Lindsey Cassidy (2-0) both earned wins.
In the opener, things looked grim early, the previously undefeated Pioneers (4-2/0-2 CCAA) scored five runs in the first three innings against Clark. Three of their runs were unearned as defensive miscues allowed for the big second inning.
The Gators would respond, scoring three runs to tie the game up in the home half of the second inning.
Angelica Terrel got the Gators on the board for the first time, beating out an infield hit to deep short that scored
Gabby Reta from third. SF State tied it up three batters later when
Alexis Mattos reached on an error by the Pioneer shortstop that plated a pair of runs.
Clark's only earned runs of the contest came in the top of the fourth inning when she surrendered a two-run home run to Sarah Fukushima. After that she settled down and put zeros on the board the rest of the contest.
Clark's final line for the contest, 7.0 innings pitched, seven hits, five runs, two earned, with five walks and a season-high six strike outs.
The Gators added a run in the third and two in the fourth to take a 6-5 lead. Sarah Higa had the winning hit, smashing a single up the middle that scored a pair.
In the nightcap, Cassidy was sharp early. The junior did not allow a hit until a leadoff double in the top of the fifth ended a no-hit bid. The Gators offense gave her a nice three run cushion, scoring a run in the first, second and fifth inning. The final run, once again knocked by Higa who went 3-for-6 on the day, with two runs batted in.
In the top of the sixth inning, Cassidy lost her shutout when Fukushima once again launched a home run, this time a three run shot to left center field.
The game did not remain tied long. In the home half of the sixth inning, SF State had some fireworks of their own. With a runner on and one out in the inning, Adriano came to bat in the sixth. On a 1-1 offering she smashed a ball over the left field fence for her first career home run, and gave the Gators a 5-3 lead.
Cassidy made it stand, shutting the Pioneers down in the seventh to preserve the 5-3 win. Her line for the day, 7.0 innings pitched, scattering four hits, three runs, with seven walks and four strike outs.
The Gators go for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon when they host the Pioneers for a Sunday double header, game one is slated for a noon first pitch.
