SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Late rallies in both halves of Saturday's twin billing proved to be the difference as San Francisco State's softball team wrapped up its conference slate with a 5-4 loss in game one and an 8-2 loss in the nightcap against host Cal State San Bernardino.
SF State (19-31/13-27 CCAA) were in the fight in both contests, but late runs in both games by Cal State San Bernardino (34-16/24-12 CCAA) the Saturday sweep, taking the series in four-straight.
In game one on Saturday, CSUSB put two on the board in the bottom of the first inning. A double to left field and a single up the middle did the damage.
Megan Clark (10-18) escaped further trouble when Guzman started a relay that ended with a runner being thrown out at second trying to advance.
In the top of the second SF State figured out the riddle of starter Cassandra Williams (20-9), roughing her up for three runs on four hits in the top of the second. Clark doubled to begin the rally.
Kasie Trezona traded places with Clark one batter later on a double down the right field line. Trezona scored on a bunt single by
Mallory Cleveland.
Kayli Shaw scored the third run of the inning on a sacrifice bunt by
Madison Collins.
In the bottom of the second, Clark got the shut-down inning the Gators needed. Using just eight pitches, she retired the Coyotes in order and got the Gators back into the dugout. In the bottom of the fourth the Coyotes tied it up on a two-out single to center field. The Coyotes tried to add another run later that inning but were once again thwarted by the Gators' strong arms in the outfield.
However, in the bottom of the fifth, the long ball plagued the Gators once again. Morgan Ratliff led off the inning with a solo home run to center field on a 2-1 offering, giving CSUSB a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the seventh the Coyotes took the game, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch.
Clark took the loss, going 6.1 innings, she allowed four earned runs on 10 hits, with three walks and two strike outs. Williams earned the win, going 7.0 complete, surrendering nine hits, three earned runs, with a walk and three strike outs.
Cleveland's bat remained red-hot, going 2-for-3 with two runs driven in. Clark also went 2-for-3 and scored two runs.
In the nightcap, the Gators were held in check by Coyote's starter Amanda Ramirez (14-7) who threw seven complete, scattering 12 hits, two earned runs, with a walk and our strike outs.
Aryn Guzman took the ball for SF State in game two and threw well until the game unraveled in the fifth and sixth inning. A grand slam in the bottom of the fifth by Jessica Brown gave the Coyotes a commanding 6-0 advantage. CSUSB added to that in the bottom half of the sixth on a two-run home run by Jessica Ratliff.
Guzman (5-4) went the distance, throwing 6.0 complete, allowing eight hits, eight runs, with six walks and three strike outs.
The Gators offense did scratch two runs across late in the game. Trezona knocked in a run in the top of the sixth, and Higa beat out a ground ball for a fielder's choice in the top of the seventh at scored Guzman. Trezona was on fire in the nightcap going 3-for-3 with an RBI.
The Gators will return to action on Friday when they host Holy Names for a double header starting at 1:00 p.m. at the SFSU Softball Field.
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