SAN FRANCISCO – Aggressive base running and strong pitching propelled the San Francisco State softball team to a sweep of Notre Dame de Namur on Monday by scores of 6-1 and 7-0.
 
The Gators (7-8) got on the board in the first as Hayley Nunes singled to left and went to second on Michelle Castro's single through the left side. Both runners advanced on steals, and Nunes came around on another steal for the first run. Sara Higa whacked a double down the left field line to score Castro.
 
Madison Collins knocked a one-out double to left in the third, stole third, and scored on Andrea Hildan's single to left-center. The Argonauts (1-10) got a run in the fourth as Haley Stahl scored on a passed ball to make it 3-1.
 
SF State scored three more in the fifth, with Castro plating both Nunes and Hildan on a double and scoring herself on a stolen base and a throwing error by the catcher to widen the lead 6-1.
 
Lindsey Cassidy got her seventh start of the season, going five strong innings with four strikeouts and no earned runs. Karla Soto and Kelsey Goodner closed out the game in the circle, combining for two innings of relief with no hits allowed.
 
In game two, the Gators scored five in the first with Hildan starting the rally by beating out an infield single and then stealing second. Nunes sacrificed Hildan to third, and she scored on Castro's single up the middle. Castro then stole second and third, and, following a Higa walk, scored the second run of the inning on Higa's stolen base. Higa later scored on a wild pitch, and Mallory Cleveland came around on an error by the second baseman. Savannah Ozuna then knocked a double to deep left field that plated Kylee Brown to cap off the five-run inning.
 
In the fourth, Nunes singled home Hildan and later came around on a stolen base to give SF State a 7-0 lead. Sam Drucker retired the Argonauts in order in the fifth, capping off a stellar outing in which she gave up just four hits. Goodner tossed two innings in relief to preserve the first shutout victory of the young season. 
 
SF State combined for 15 stolen bases on the day and were not caught by the Argonaut defense. The eight steals in game one of the day are a season-high for the Gators and the most in the last five seasons.
 
Up Next
The Gators host Academy of Art this Friday for a doubleheader. First pitch is at 10 a.m., and live stats will be provided and in-game updates will be available on Twitter at @sfstate_sb. The Gators will also be accepting donations of canned foods for the SF State SAAC Food Drive, benefiting the SF-Marin Food Bank.