SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State softball team dropped both games of its home doubleheader on Saturday and was swept in a season series for the first time this season. The Gators fell to No. 11 Chico State 6-3 and 5-2.
- SF State moves to 12-14 overall and 7-9 in CCAA action while the first-place Wildcats are now 22-4 overall and 14-2 in CCAA action.
- SF State turned three more double plays to regain the national lead from Lander. SF State leads the nation with 17 double plays turned.
- The Gators were hit by a pitch a season-high five times in game one on Saturday but were unable to take advantage of any of those free bases.
- Lehua DeLeon had a stolen base, bringing the team's season total to 79, which leads all of NCAA Division II.
- Brylynn Vallejos went 3-for-7 with a pair of runs.
GAME ONE
- The Gators took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Vallejos singled and moved into scoring position on Dani Guerrera's double. Vallejos slid in safely at home on a fielder's choice and Kira Nilson sent a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0. Nilson attempted to steal second but was caught in a rundown but stayed in the pickle long enough for Jenkins to score.
- The Wildcats got a run back with two outs in the second inning thanks to a leadoff walk. The Gators loaded the bases in the second but were unable to bring a run across the plate. Chico State plated another run in the fourth, this time thanks to a leadoff hit by pitch.
- Chico State took the lead in the sixth when Amanda Metzger crushed the first pitch she saw for a grand slam over the left field fence.
- SF State brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh but Dani Guerrera struck out swinging with the bases loaded.
- Kaitlyn Maddux (5-9) pitched well until the grand slam in the sixth but first-pitch walks and hit-by-pitches proved costly as all three Chico State rallies benefitted from them.
- Brooke Larsen picked up her second win in as many days to improve to a conference-best 13-1. She struck out 10 and allowed four hits in a complete-game effort.
GAME TWO
- The Wildcats took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of sacrifice flies from Reilani Peleti and former Gator Nina Revoir. Peleti added another sac fly in the third.
- Holihan came to pitch the fourth. Tayler Berens led off with a single up the middle and Rachael Bles homered off the scoreboard in left field to make it a 5-0 Wildcats lead.
- The Gators loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth but Lehua DeLeon hit into a fielder's choice and Guerrera struck out. Grace Stover mishandled a ball at third that allowed a Gators run to cross, then Holihan drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-2. Wildcats pitcher Katelyn Oldwin induced a groundout to get out of the inning.
- Kelly went three innings in game two and surrendered three runs on four hits.
- Holihan moved from third base to the circle for four innings of work and gave up the two-run homer.
- Oldwin (7-2) earned the complete-game victory. She allowed two runs, neither earned, on nine hits.
The Gators look to bounce back with a non-conference doubleheader versus Academy of Art on Wednesday, March 16. The home doubleheader is slated to begin at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on the CCAA Network with live stats available at sfstategators.com.
