SEASIDE, Calif. — The San Francisco State softball team split the first two games of the series with Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday. The Gators dropped the series opener 5-4 but rallied back to take game two, 3-2.
- With the series shifted from SF State to the turf at Seaside, the Gators retained the designation of home team for the four-game series.
- SF State moves to 5-9 overall and is 2-4 in CCAA play thus far. CSUMB moves to 6-8 overall and to 3-3 in CCAA play.
- Before going 0-for-4 in game two, Kai DeLeon recorded a hit in game one and reached safely in the first 13 games of the season. Having finished the 2023 season on a 19-game streak, she reached base safely in 32 consecutive games dating back to April 7, 2023. DeLeon also scored in game one and ran that streak to nine consecutive games before seeing that streak snapped in game two as well.
- Seven different Gators racked up a hit. Marley Gonzales and Makenzie Stenson had a hit in each game and Mia Misasi had a two-hit effort in game two.
Game One
- A leadoff and an error led to an unearned run for the Otters and an early 1-0 lead in the second inning.
- The Otters added to their lead in the fourth thanks to a pair of wild pitches that led to two more runs.
- The Gators got a couple of runs back in the sixth on a Daniella Guerrera sac fly and a Nilson RBI single, but Gonzales was thrown at home trying to it. Then, the Gators were unable to get a shutdown inning when Oil Perez launched a two-run homer to center to put the Otters up 5-2 in the top of the seventh.
- SF State cut the lead to one and got the winning run to the plate but the Gators couldn't complete the comeback. Gonzales drilled a ball to the gap in right center for a two-run double but the Gators were forced to hold Mia Misasi at third. Daniella Guerrera came up and represented the winning run but struck out on a 2-2 pitch to end it.
- Kaitlyn Maddux (1-2) took the loss in game one. She threw 94 pitches, struck out six, and gave up three runs, two earned, in four and two thirds innings.
- Mari Takeda Bajan surrendered two runs and struck out a pair in two and a third innings of relief.
- Mackenzie Willis (4-4) did not allow a hit but gave up a pair of runs in five and a third innings of work for the Otters. Kelsey Alcantara gave up two runs on three hits in an inning and a third of relief.
Game Two
- The Gators went down 2-0 after the Otters tallied four of their five hits in the top of the third. Three straight singles loaded the bases, then Haylee Clay's foul out resulted in a sac fly, and an errant throw back to the infield on the play allowed Leah Madden to score unearned.
- Misasi led off the bottom of third with a double to left center and moved up another 60 feet on a fielding error, then scored on DeLeon's groundout to get the Gators on the board.
- After a three-up, three-down top of the fourth, the Gators tied the game with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning. Lexi Holihan singled, Marissa Jordan singled, and Misasi shot a single back up the middle to tie the game at 2-2.
- After another 1-2-3 top half, the Gators took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Again with two outs, Stenson worked a full count and singled through the right side to bring Gonzales in from second.
- Elise Roy (2-3) threw a gem. The freshman scattered five hits and allowed just one earned run. She struck out two and faced just three batters over the minimum. She pitched did not allow a hit after the third inning and was perfect in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Roy walked the leadoff batter in the seventh but worked out of with a game-ending double play.
- Savannah Madrigal (2-3) allowed all three Gators runs in four and two thirds innings. Willis worked a hitless inning and a third of relief, and struck out three.
The Gators and Cal State Monterey Bay wrap up the four-game series on Sunday, February 25 with a noon doubleheader at Otter Sports Complex in Seaside. The games will be broadcast on the
CCAA Network and live stats will be available at
sfstategators.com.
