SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State softball team swept Saturday's CCAA doubleheader versus Cal State San Bernardino and took the series win. The Gators won game one 3-1 and game two 6-3.
- Brylynn Vallejos went 3-for-6 with two runs, two RBI, and a walk on the day. The All-American is hitting .475. Vallejos also had another stolen base on Saturday and leads the nation with 23.
- The Gators (11-8/7-5 CCAA) outhit CSUSB (9-8/7-5 CCAA) 6-4 in game one and were outhit 6-4 in the nightcap.
- Michelle Castro stole a pair of bases in the first inning. The program's career record holder now has a dozen stolen bases, bringing her total to 82.
GAME ONE
- Game one was a scoreless affair through four innings but the offense for both teams came alive in the next two innings.
- The Gators got the scoring going in the bottom of the fifth. Nina Revoir sent a pinch-hit single. Andrea Hildan reentered for Revoir and moved up on Brylynn Vallejos' sacrifice bunt, then Michelle Castro doubled down the left field line.
- However, CSUSB got the run right back in the top of the sixth. Diana Gomez drew a pinch-hit walk, then Jamiana Gateb reentered and stole third after moving up on Sandra Carroll's single to right. Madison Veldman tied the game with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly but the Gators limited the damage with a double play ball.
- The Gators answered in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out rally. Lehua DeLeon singled and Samantha Alvarez singled, which moved the speedy DeLeon up to third. Alvarez stole second and Hildan drove both runners home with a single to left field to make it 3-1.
- CSUSB got the tying run to the plate with two outs in the seventh but Kelia Paragas grounded out to Katie Rorher at first.
- Natalie Minteer (7-5) earned her fourth win of the week. She struck out two and allowed a run on four hits in a complete-game effort.
- Kenral O'Cull (4-5) allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts over six innings of work for the Coyotes.
GAME TWO
- Cal State San Bernardino wasted no time scoring with a sac fly in the first but the Gators answered quickly. A Vallejos ball down the left field line was probably catchable but was misplayed and instead turned into a triple for the sophomore. Then, Castro reached on an error and Vallejos scored. Castro swiped second, then third, and gave the Gators the lead with her run on Rohrer's sacrifice fly in foul territory down the left field line.
- With one out in the second, DeLeon singled and Vallejos launched a two-run shot to dead center to make it 4-1.
- A dropped popup and a throwing error allowed the first two Gators in the third to reach base. With two outs, DeLeon reached on another error, which allowed Tianna Jacques to score. On the next at bat, DeLeon drew a throw to second. She was eventually caught stealing but stayed in the pickle long enough for Samantha Alvarez to break for home and score from third.
- A couple of walks and a single in the fourth led to a run for the Coyotes.
- A leadoff walk in the fifth chased Gators starter Emily Mitchell. Minteer walked the first batter she faced and walked another two batters later to load the bases. A sac fly gave the Coyotes another run but catcher Sydney Jenkins threw to Alvarez, who applied the tag on the runner trying to take third.
- Minteer gave up a leadoff single in the seventh but got a fielder's choice, a strikeout, and a fly ball to right to end the game.
- Mitchell (4-3) worked out of trouble throughout the afternoon for the win. In four innings of work, she struck out three but allowed four hits and walked eight.
- Minteer allowed just two hits over the final three innings and earned her first save of the season.
- O'Cull (4-6) also took the loss in game two. She allowed six runs, three earned, on four hits in six innings of work.
The Gators next head to Cal State Dominguez Hills for a pair of CCAA doubleheaders on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29. Be sure to follow San Francisco State Softball on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstate_sb.
