ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — The San Francisco State softball team bounced back with a doubleheader sweep at Sonoma State on Saturday. The Gators held on for a 9-8, nine-inning victory in game one and took the nightcap 2-1.
- Through 13 games, the Gators (6-7/4-4 CCAA) are batting .300 as a team.
- The Gators are led by Brylynn Vallejos, who was selected to the "Watch List" for the 2020 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year award earlier in the week. One of two Gators to start all 13 games thus far, Vallejos is batting a team-high .419 with 15 runs, 10 walks, and 17 stolen bases. She went 3-for-5 with three runs, a walk, and two stolen bases in game one; and was 3-of-4 with two more runs and two stolen base in game two.
GAME ONE
- Vallejos sparked the offense on Saturday. She walked to begin the game, then stole second. She moved up 60 feet on an error, then Katelyn Sturm singled home Vallejos and Castro for an early 2-0 lead.
- Vallejos got things going again in the second. She singled, stole second, and scored on Michelle Castro's single to left. Castro then stole second and later scored on Samantha Luckie's sac fly. Sturm followed with another RBI double to make it 5-0.
- Vallejos led off the fourth and singled. Castro singled and Luckie walked to load the bases. Sturm had another sac fly and an error by the right fielder allowed Castro to score. The Gators led 7-0 and appeared in cruise control.
- Sonoma State got a couple of runs back in the fifth. The Seawolves recorded back-to-back singles and walked the bases loaded. A bases-loaded walk gave SSU a run and a sac fly cut the lead to five.
- Cameron Kirtlan hit a solo homer in the sixth that cut the lead to 7-3.
- The Seawolves tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh. They used three singles, a couple of bases-loaded walks, and a sac fly to force extras.
- With two outs in the eighth, Castro and Katie Rohrer hit back-to-back doubles to put SF State back in front, 8-7.
- Alee Balanon led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and scored on Amber Orchard's single.
- With two outs in the ninth, and Nina Revoir on third after doubling two batters earlier, Lehua DeLeon reached on an error in left field, which allowed Revoir to score from third.
- Emily Mitchell pitched six innings and left with a 7-3 lead. She walked in a run in the fifth and surrendered a sac fly, then gave up a solo homer in the sixth. She kept the Seawolves off the board until the fifth but walked eight batters.
- Natalie Minteer came on for the seventh but ran into control issues. She walked in a run, gave up a sac fly and an RBI single, then walked in the tying run before getting a strikeout looking to send the game into extras. With the Gators up a run in the eighth, she failed to protect the lead again and gave up a run on four hits, though she escaped further trouble by getting another strikeout to leave the bases loaded. With the Gators up a run yet again in the ninth, Minteer pitched a 1-2-3 frame to earn the win.
- Seawolves starter Camille Rodriguez was yanked after giving up two runs in just two thirds of an inning. Nicole Sarra gave up five runs in three and a third innings. Raquel Chadez gave up a run in three and two thirds innings. Teri Danenberg (2-2) took the loss with a run in one and one third innings.
GAME TWO
- The teams traded runs in the first. Vallejos singled, stole second, and moved to third on a Rohrer sac. Luckie hit into a fielder's choice that scored Vallejos. The Seawolves got the run back in the bottom of the frame with an RBI fielder's choice of their own.
- In the third, Vallejos did it again. She singled, stole second, and scored on Rohrer's double down the left field line.
- The Seawolves threatened in the bottom of the seventh. With two on and two out, Jordyn Martinez hit one to the center field fence but Vallejos caught the ball at the fence to preserve the win.
- Minteer (3-5) was locked in for game two and went the distance. The sophomore pitched the best game of her career, scattering one run on four hits.
- Nalani Scates (1-4) took the loss for the Seawolves. She struck out five but allowed a pair of runs on eight hits.
The Gators return home for a non-conference doubleheader versus Academy of Art on Tuesday, February 18. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast on the CCAA Network and live stats will be available at sfstategators.com. Be sure to follow San Francisco State Softball on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstate_sb.
