SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State softball team earned a series split with No. 15 Cal State San Marcos. The Gators took game three 5-3 and dropped the series finale, 7-6.
- With the split, SF State moves to 11-14 overall and 4-10 in CCAA action while the second-place Cougars move to 18-9 and 14-6 in CCAA action.
- Teya Vincent had a monster day at the plate. She went 4-for-6 with a pair of home runs, four RBIs, and three runs. Vincent leads the Gators with five home runs and a .596 slugging percentage, which is also seventh in the CCAA. For the weekend, she hit .556.
- Kai DeLeon, in her first games back since being sidelined by injury after a collision at the plate in the Cal Poly Humboldt series, picked up where she left off. She went 3-for-6 with two runs, two walks, and a pair of stolen bases. DeLeon leads the team with a .356 batting average and .433 on-base percentage.
- SF State is now 6-5 in one-run games.
- A season-high seven errors proved too much to overcome in the nightcap. The seven errors are the most in a single game by a Gators team in over a decade. Of Cal State San Marcos' seven runs in the nightcap, only one run was earned.
Game 1
- The Gators caught a break in the second inning when Lombardi tripped rounding third base and had to hold up. After a coaching visit to the circle, Gators pitcher Brooklyn Heffernan got a strikeout looking and a fly ball to right to extinguish the early threat. SF State took advantage in its half of the inning. Vincent led off with a single, moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, and over to third when Marissa Jordan reached on a throwing error. The Gators attempted a double steal but Jordan was caught in a rundown long enough for Vincent to score.
- The third inning was pivotal. Bianca Gutierrez and Paige Donnelley started with back-to-back doubles that tied the game, and Donnelley eventually scored. She beat the throw home on a Shelton sacrifice fly to right field.
- The Gators answered right back. Mia Misasi singled and moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch. DeLeon walked and Gonzales loaded the bases with an infield single. Kira Nilson gave the Gators the lead back with a two-run single to left center. Vincent added an insurance run with a successful squeeze play that made it 4-2.
- The Cougars loaded the bases again in the sixth and managed a run when Jillian Albayati drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk that cut the lead to 4-3.
- Vincent got the run back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to left.
- Heffernan (4-7) tossed her team-leading seventh complete game. She worked out of trouble all day, leaving the bases loaded three times. She scattered nine hits but just two earned runs. She struck out four and walked five.
- Zoe Ballen (3-3) took the loss for the Cougars. She gave up five runs, all earned, on seven hits. She struck out five, walked two, and threw two wild pitches.
Game 2
- The Cougars pounced early and grabbed a 2-0 lead, all with two outs, thanks to back-to-back Gators errors.
- SF State took the lead in the third. DeLeon singled and Liana Gonzalez was able to score on a bobbled ball in left field. DeLeon stole third and catcher Ryann Steiner threw to third with nobody covering, which allowed DeLeon to score easily.
- Cal State San Marcos hung a five-spot in in the fourth that would be the difference in the game. An error loaded the bases and Donnelly made it 4-2 with a two-run single through the right side. That chased starter Kaitlyn Maddux. Madeline Eshbach came in and got a groundball but two different Gators defenders mishandled the ball, resulting in two more errors and a 5-2 Cougars lead. Albayati delivered a two-out, two-run homer to left center that made it 7-2.
- In the sixth, Gonzales ended up with a leadoff triple when left fielder Madison Waymire fell down. Daniella Guerrera hit a ball to third and Gonzales got in under the tag at home. Then, Vincent blasted her second homer of the day that made it 7-5.
- The Gators got a run in the seventh in a double steal attempt. Misasi scored but the Gators gave up an out in doing so and came up short.
- Maddux (5-5) gave up seven runs in three and a third innings. She was charged with five runs, only one of which was earned. She struck out two and walked one.
- Eshbach tossed three and two thirds innings of relief and did not allow an earned run. She struck out one and issued one walk.
- Savannah Coyle (9-2) earned the victory for the Cougars with five and a third innings of work. She gave up five runs, three earned, on six hits. She struck out three.
- Tayler Shelton gave up a run in two thirds innings of relief for the Cougars and Jayline Sloss picked up her first save with an eight-pitch performance.
Due to more inclement weather in the forecast, Tuesday's rescheduled doubleheader versus Cal State East Bay has been postponed. The Gators will compete in the Tournament of Champions presented by the City of Turlock, where they'll face Azusa Pacific, Chaminade, Western Washington, Central Washington, and Saint Martin's.
