ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The No. 22 San Francisco State softball team overcame an early four-run deficit to advance to the championship game of the CCAA Softball Tournament presented by FloCollege with an 8-5 win over tournament host Sonoma State.
- SF State, which is ranked No. 22 in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll and had a first round bye in the CCAA Tournament, moves to 36-18.
- Sonoma State lost on an error in their second game of the day and fell 7-6 to RV Cal State San Marcos. The Gators and Cougars will face each other on Championship Saturday.
- SF State's first three batters – Kai DeLeon, Marley Gonzales, and Daniella Guerrera – went 7-for-11 with five runs scored and three RBI.
- Rylee McDaniel went 1-for-3 with a walk and three RBI.
- The Gators turned their 32nd double play of the season in the sixth inning, an amazing leaping catch by DeLeon that doubled off the runner at third and got the Gators out of a jam.
- Guerrera now has 104 career RBI, which is fourth all-time in program history. She has 40 on the season, which are third most by a Gator in a single season behind Michelle Castro (41 in 2019) and Rachelle McCann (44 in 1991).
- Gonzales' stolen base in the bottom of the sixth helped create a run and was the 70th of her career. She has 30 on the season.
- Things looked dire for the Gators after the first half inning. The Seawolves drew a leadoff walk and racked up three straight singles to make it 2-0. A Kaiya Dickens single up the middle made it 3-0 and a Taylor Rapp sacrifice fly capped off the rally to make it 4-0 early.
- SF State made it a brand new game in the fourth. Gonzales and Guerrera recorded back-to-back singles and McDaniel ripped a one-out double to right center that brought her fellow seniors home. Marissa Jordan reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Kira Nilson kept things moving with a single, then stole second. An errant throw allowed Jordan to score and Nilson moved up to third base. Nilson scored easily on a Lexi Holihan single to right center.
- The Seawolves regained the lead with a bizarre sequence in the fifth inning. With two outs, Carissa Marquez singled to right field. The Gators tried to pick her off after rounding first and Dickens dashed home and was ruled safe.
- With one out in the bottom of the fifth, five consecutive Gators reached base. The game-tying run scored on a Gonzales double and McDaniel drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Gators the 6-5 lead.
- Sonoma State nearly regained control in the sixth after Nilson was unable to make a diving catch and Sophia Newcomb's ball rolled past her for a lead-off triple. However, the next ball put into play found the glove of a leaping DeLeon at shortstop, and she threw to Lexi Holihan, who doubled the runner off third.
- Guerrera added a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth.
- Takeda Bajan escaped with a no-decision after allowing four runs in a rough first inning.
- Elise Roy (12-8) came on in relief and snapped a seven-game streak in which she did not earn a win. She scattered one run on five hits. She walked three and struck out three. She worked out of trouble from the get-go. She recorded two quick outs before issuing a walk to load the bases but got out of the jam. She stranded two more in the third and got the 65 double play to trim shorten the sixth inning.
- SSU used three pitchers in the contest. Charlie Johnson (21-14) was charged with all eight runs, six of which were earned. She allowed 11 hits and struck out a pair.
- Ava Paquin and Alexis Camberos both made appearances in the circle for the Seawolves but both walked the batters they faced.
The No. 22 Gators face RV Cal State San Marcos on Saturday at 11 a.m. for the 2025 CCAA Tournament Championship. Both teams are currently ranked in the West Region but the tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II West Regional. For more information on the CCAA Tournament presented by FloCollege, visit
Tournament Central.
