SAN MARCOS, Calif. — The San Francisco State softball team dropped the first two games of a four-game series at No. 14 Cal State San Marcos on Friday afternoon. The Gators dropped the series opener 8-1 and forced extra innings in game two but ultimately fell 7-6 in nine innings.
- SF State slips to 14-16 overall and into seventh place at 7-11 in CCAA play. The first-place Cougars improve to 29-3 and 20-2 in CCAA play.
- The Gators added a pair of stolen bases in game two thanks to Brylynn Vallejos and Lehua DeLeon, giving the Gators 87 for the season. Vallejos now has 83 career stolen bases and sits just five behind program leader Michelle Castro. DeLeon and Vallejos are tied for the team lead with 24 apiece.
- Vallejos' homer in the first game give her a dozen in her career, moving her into a tie for eighth place on the program's career leader list with Kristin Bartholomay (2004-07).
GAME ONE
- The Gators straned a pair in the second and then again in the third. Then, the Cougars blew the game open with a seven-run third inning. An error began the frame, then the next three batters all reached on fielder's choices where the Gators failed to record an out. A wild pitch plated a third run and the Cougars added four more runs by the end of the frame.
- A four-pitch, two-out walk led to another Cougars run in the fourth.
- Vallejos got the Gators on the board when she led off the fifth with a homer to right field.
- Kaitlyn Maddux (6-10) gave up five hits but allowed seven runs in two and two thirds innings.
- Madeline Eshbach allowed a run on three hits in three and a third innings of relief.
- Savannah Coyle (12-1) went the distance for the Cougars. She allowed four hits and struck out six.
GAME TWO
- CSUSM grabbed a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second and single runs in the third and fourth innings.
- Halle Nugent reached on an error to begin the fifth inning and alter scored on a Vallejos groundout.
- In the seventh, Lehua Deleon scored Marley Gonzales on a groundout to make it 4-2 with two outs. Dani Guerrera worked a 3-1 count and delivered a two-run single through the left side to tie the game at 4-4.
- In the ninth, the Gators executed a double steal and Guerrera walked to load the bases. Sydney Jenkins doubled to left center to bring home a pair and give the Gators a 6-4 lead.
- The lead was short lived as the Cougars marched back in the bottom of the ninth. CSUSM brought up their four through six batters and all three reached. Paige Donnelly singled, Madison Waymire doubled, and Morgan Salgado walked it off with a three-run homer.
- Taylor Kelly allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits in three innings of work.
- Lexi Holihan (4-2) allowed a run in the fourth, then worked four scoreless frames before giving up the homer in the ninth.
- Cal State San Marcos starter Jayline Sloss went eight and a third innings but left with a no-decision. Zoe Ballen (5-1) pitched two thirds innings for the win.
The series continues on Saturday, March 26 at 11 a.m. The road doubleheader will be broadcast on the CCAA Network with live stats available at sfstategators.com.
