TURLOCK, Calif. – The duo of
Megan Clark and
Aryn Guzman once again proved to be a powerful pitching combination, as the San Francisco State softball team swept its Sunday doubleheader against Simon Fraser and Central Oregon.
SF State's (17-21) starters combined to throw 15 innings, scattering nine hits, two earned runs, while striking out 14.
Against Simon Fraser (7-18), the Gators offense struck first scoring a run in the bottom of the first. Mattos led off the inning with a single to second base, she got into scoring position by stealing second and eventually came around to score on the base hit to centerfield by
Celeste Adriano.
In the first two innings, Clark (8-12) was stellar, getting three strike outs and three weakly hit ground balls for six quick outs.
Clark kept the Clan offense in check throughout the game until a two-out error in the top of the sixth allowed Simon Fraser's inning to continue. The Clan made the Gators pay with a single up the middle to score the tying run.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Mattos scored the winning run when she was placed on second to begin the inning, she moved to third on the base hit by Adriano and beat out the throw home on the bunt by
Sara Higa to score the winning run.
Clark got it done in the circle and at the plate. She finished the game going 3-for-3, but in the circle she was even better throwing eight complete, scattering four hits, one earned run with no walks and six strike outs.
In the finale, Western Oregon struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning on a one out RBI single. That would be all Western Oregon would muster against Guzman, who shut down the Wolves the rest of the way.
SF State finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring two runs on just two hits. Clark got the Gators on the board with a bases loaded single down the left field line. Two batters later
Madison Collins gave the Gators the lead with a deep fly ball to left field that scored Higa from third.
Guzman (5-0) shut the Wolves down over the final three innings to earn her fifth win of the season. Her line: seven innings pitched, five hits allowed, one earned run, three walks and eight strike outs.
The Gators return to action next Friday when they resume CCAA play at Sonoma State on Friday April 7 at 1:00 p.m.
