SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State softball team picked up a game versus No. 4 Chico State, taking the first game of a Sunday doubleheader 7-4. The Gators fell 5-3 in the nightcap.
- SF State drops below the series and below .500 to 13-14/9-11 CCAA. The nationally-ranked Wildcats improve to 19-2/14-2 CCAA.
- SF State outhit the Wildcats in both games, 10-5 in game one and 7-5 in game two.
- With starting catcher Sara Mitrano out injured, the Gators took advantage of backup catcher Jordan DiGiacinto behind the dish. SF State was 8-of-8 in stolen base attempts in game one. They swiped three more in game two versus Drew Rodriguez.
- Brylynn Vallejos went 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases in game one.
- Andrea Hildan went 2-for-4 in game one with a run scored and a stolen base.
- Katie Rohrer and Lehua DeLeon both had two-hit games in game two.
GAME ONE
- The Gators hit the ball hard in the first. Vallejos roped a ball straight back to pitcher Brooke Larsen, who instinctively caught the comebacker. Michelle Castro followed with an eight-pitch at-bat that resulted in a single through the left side. Castro proceeded to swipe her 85th career stolen base and Rohrer brought her around with a single to right field.
- With two outs, Hildan and DeLeon followed with singles and Tianna Jacques was hit by a pitch to bring in a second run. Wildcats first baseman Reilani Peleti led off the second with a homer to left but Gators starter Natalie Minteer induced a popup to leave a pair stranded.
- The Gators added an insurance run in the third. Hildan hit a ball off the third base bag and hustled into second for a double. She moved up another 60 feet on DeLeon's groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
- Both teams threatened in the fourth. Three walks loaded the bases for the Wildcats but Vallejos tracked down a deep fly ball for the third out. Nina Revoir led off the bottom half of the frame with a pinch-hit single and Vallejos was intentionally walked but the next three batters were retired in order.
- In the fifth, Williams launched a home run off of the scoreboard in left field to cut the lead to 3-2. With a runner on first, Emily Mitchell came on in relief. An error by Rohrer at first base loaded the bases. Mitchell got DiGiacinto swinging at a ball up out of the zone but walked Angel Lopez to tie the game. She limited the damage by getting Amanda Metzger chasing a ball away.
- The Gators stormed right back in the bottom half of the inning with a four-run frame. DeLeon reached on an error and stole second. Tianna Jacques followed with a flare to right field, then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Samantha Luckie hit a ball back to the pitcher but the shovel home wasn't in time and DeLeon scored to put the Gators back in front. On third, Jacques drew a pickoff attempt from DiGiacinto that went wide of the bag. Jacques raced home, where she and DiGiacinto collided. However, the Wildcats backstop was obstructing the path home and Jacques was ruled safe at the plate. Another run scored when Sydney Jenkins reached on an error and Jenkins later scored on a Castro groundout to cap off the four-run rally.
- Chico State scored in the seventh on a throwing error by Castro. She struck Angel Lopez out with an inside pitch and Katie Rohrer snagged a comebacker and stepped on the bag at first for the double play to end it.
- Natalie Minteer went four and a third innings for the Gators. She allowed just two hits but walked seven. She struck out three and settled for a no-decision.
- Emily Mitchell (5-4) allowed an unearned run and picked up the win with two and two thirds innings of relief.
- Brooke Larsen – who entered the game with a .97 ERA – gave up seven runs, three earned, on a season-high 10 hits.
GAME TWO
- The Gators got off to a rough start in the nightcap. Kristin Worley walked to start the game, then Rohrer threw to second but didn't have a play there on the fielder's choice. The Gators intentionally walked Peleti to load the bases with one out but it backfired as Minteer walked in a run. The Wildcats added another run on a sac fly to make it 3-0.
- SF State gave up two more in the third but got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Rohrer stole second. The throw sailed into the outfield and allowed Castro to score easily from third.
- In the fourth, Vallejos drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-2 but the Gators left the bases loaded.
- Vallejos led off the seventh with a double, stole third, and scored on a groundout. The next two batters grounded out as well to end the game.
- Minteer (7-9) allowed five runs on five hits in a complete-game effort. The sophomore struck out three but seven walks proved costly.
- Sam Mulock (10-0) wetn the distance for the Wildcats. She entered with a .81 ERA but allowed three runs, two earned. She walked three and struck out three.
The Gators head to Cal State Monterey Bay for a four-game series beginning Friday, March 13. Be sure to follow San Francisco State Softball on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstate_sb.
