SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of No. 14 Cal State San Marcos on Friday at SFSU Softball Field. The Gators dominated game one, 6-1, and walked off in game two, 5-4.
- SF State, who is receiving votes in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, moves to 14-4 on the season and 3-1 in CCAA action. The Cougars have their nine-game win streak snapped to fall to 14-3 overall and 4-2 in CCAA play.
- The Gators collected 10 hits in game one and four players recorded two hits in the game: Marley Gonzales, Daniella Guerrera, Shaunnesy Cardwell, and Lexi Holihan. Cardwell drove in three of the team's four runs.
- Cardwell's hot bat continued into game two. She and Kira Nilson both had three-hit performances with Nilson driving in Cardwell to win the game.
- Gonzales, Ashley Rocha, and Emily Madrigal all stole a base. As a team, the Gators now have 40 stolen bases on the season. The Gators only need 10 more swipes to break into the program's team single season history Top 10.
- Elise Roy and Mari Takeda Bajan both notched their fifth wins of the season on Friday. Roy lowered her ERA to 1.13.
- Cougars pitchers Jayline Sloss and Dahlia Fink both suffered their first losses of the season.
- Cal State San Marcos entered play with the CCAA's highest batting average but the Gators pitching staff limited them to three hits per game.
- The Cougars have not grounded into a double play all season but did line into a double play in the fourth inning of game one.
Game 1
- The Gators wasted little time getting things going. Gonzales, Guerrera, and Cardwell recorded consecutive singles to plate a run. At the corners, Cardwell and Guerrera attempted a double steal. That allowed Guerrera to score, though Cardwell was tagged out to end the inning.
- A four-pitch walk to Guerrera in the third proved costly. She came around to score with two outs on a Holihan single down the third base line.
- SF State broke things open in the bottom of the fourth. Rylee McDaniel was hit by a pitch and Ashley Rocha reached on an error. Shannon Tierney pinch ran for McDaniel and with one out, scored when a Gonzales ground ball was thrown away. Gonzales and Rocha executed a double steal and both scored on Cardwell's two-out infield single.
- Roy ran into some trouble in the sixth when she loaded the bases and gave up an RBI groundout to Oliva Rivera.
- Roy (5-0) scattered three hits in a complete-game victory. She walked five and struck out two on 127 pitches.
- Sloss went three and two thirds innings. She gave up six runs, two earned, on seven hits. She walked three and struck out two.
- Dahlia Fink pitched two and a third innings of scoreless relief.
Game 2
- Cardwell got the Gators going in game two with an RBI single in the first
- The Cougars responded in the top of the second on Rivera's game-tying home run. CSUSM took the lead in the fourth on a wild pitch and added another run on a Rivera foul out sacrifice fly.
- SF State tied the game in the sixth. With one out and a runner at second, Holihan was hit in the helmet. Kira Nilson hit a comebacker to the circle but pinch runner Emily Madrigal was safe at third. With the bases loaded, Marissa Jordan singled to center to bring a run home. Then, a fielding error at third base tied the game at 3-3 but the Gators left the bases loaded.
- With two outs in the seventh, Cardwell singled through the right side. Holihan worked a full-count walk and Nilson singled to left center, which allowed Cardwell to score from second for the walk-off win.
- Takeda Bajan (5-2) gave up three runs on three hits on exactly 100 pitches in a complete-game victory. She walked two and struck out four.
- Fink (4-1) didn't fare as well in game two and was charged with the loss. She pitched an inning and a third and gave up a run on two hits.
The two teams wrap up the series on Saturday, March 1 with an 11 a.m. doubleheader. The doubleheader will be broadcast on
flocollege.com and live stats will be available at
sfstategators.com, with tickets available at
sfstategators.com/tickets. Saturday is also part of SAAC's
Basic Needs Drive. Students and fans can help support the Basic Needs Drive by bringing non-perishable food items and other essential items for donation.
