Box Score LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The No. 2-seed Cal State San Marcos softball team reversed its fortune from its opening round game in a 6-1 victory over No. 5-seed Lindenwood-Belleville in the first elimination game of the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Softball Championship on Friday at Grizzly Softball Complex.

The Cougars improve to 36-6-1 and move on to face the winner of No. 3-seed Houston-Victoria and No. 4-seed Georgia Gwinnett today at 3:30 p.m. PT. LUB drops to 32-23-1 and will need to receive an at-large bid to the NAIA National Championship in order to continue its season.

Olivia Lucatuorto went 2-for-3 with two RBI at the plate, while Melyssa Bellamy went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. After lasting just two-thirds of an inning in Thursday's contest, CSUSM starter Katie Wilkinson (20-4) struck out five, allowed eight hits, and walked three in the complete-game victory.

After spotting No. 6-seed British Columbia an 8-0 lead in the first inning in an eventual 11-3 loss in Thursday's first round, it was the Cougars that jumped on Lindenwood-Belleville in today's matchup.

Bellamy singled home Kaitlin McGinley to put the Cougars on the board in the first. Tani Leasau then reached via an error before giving way for pinch runner Taylor Peters. Peters attempted to steal second, forcing a wayward throw from the Lynx catcher, and Bellamy scored easily from third when the ball sailed into centerfield.

Lucatuorto led-off the bottom of the second inning with a single and the Cougars put runners on first and third with nobody out when Brogan Hoenisch reached on an error by the LUB centerfielder. Brittney Guy brought the runner home from third with a sacrifice fly to right that made it 3-0.

The Lynx threatened in the top of the third by putting runners on second and third, but Wilkinson got out of the inning by forcing Mikayla Conlin to groundout to Lucatuorto at second base.

With one out in the top of the fourth, LUB notched a double and a single to put runners on the corners. Tiffani Shadowens singled to center to make it 3-1 before pinch-hitter Brittany Harper singled to load the bases.

However, Kaylin Stewart hit a hard groundball to Mallory Campbell at third base. Campbell went to the plate to get the force out before CSUSM catcher Tani Leasau fired it over to first for the inning-ending, 5-2-3 double play.

Lucatuorto's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth pushed CSUSM ahead, 5-1.

Guy laid down a bunt single before stealing second in the bottom of the sixth. She moved to third on McGinley's groundout to the right side before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Caylyn Rodriguez.