IRVINE, Calif. – The No. 2-seed Cal State San Marcos softball team's 2015 season came to a close as host and No. 1 seed-Concordia (Calif.) eliminated the Cougars from the NAIA Opening Round, 7-4, on Tuesday afternoon at Eagles Field.

CSUSM ends the season with a 34-16 overall record. CUI (50-7) advances to Tuesday evening's semifinal against No. 4-seed Madonna (Mich.) with an opportunity to face No. 3-seed Dickinson State (N.D.) in the championship round on Wednesday afternoon.

The Cougars managed just one hit through the first four innings as CUI leapt out to a 6-1 advantage. A three-run, two-out rally by CSUSM in the top of the sixth pulled the Cougars within three, but the Eagles escaped a bases-loaded jam in the frame before retiring the Cougars in order in the seventh.

The exit marks CSUSM's earliest from the NAIA Opening Round since the format was adopted in 2013.
CSUSM started off on the front foot, as Caylyn Rodriguez sent a double to the wall in right center. After stealing third on a ball that popped out of the catcher's glove, Rodriguez scored on Olivia Lucatuorto's chopper to short make it 1-0.

CUI loaded the bases in its first plate appearance on CSUSM starter Naomi Amu (5-4) and a pair of wild pitches on back-to-back batters handed the Eagles a 2-1 lead. Hannah Howell then sent a RBI single to center field which pushed the lead to 3-1.

The Eagles reloaded the bases with one out, but the Cougars were able to escape any further damage on solid defensive plays by Lucatuorto and Devin Vanderhoff.

The Cougars had a chance to tie it in the top of the third.  Back-to-back walks to Lucatuorto and Amu handed the Cougars a pair of runners before Melyssa Bellamy came aboard with a two-out walk. However, Grayson Harvey (16-0) forced Brogan Hoenisch to pop out in foul territory to the first baseman and end the threat.

CUI gained some distance in the fourth thanks to defensive miscues by the Cougars. An error allowed the Eagles to load the bases with one out before Amy Eilefson made it 4-1 with a RBI single to right.

With two out, McKenna Kilgore tapped a pitch in front of the circle, which caused Amu to rush in to field it. Amu's hurried throw to first was low and outside, and the ball scurried down the right-field line. Two more runners came around on the error to push the CUI lead to 6-1.

After a leadoff walk to Lucatuorto in the fifth, Amu connected on the Cougars' first hit since the first batter of the game. Bellamy then knocked in Lucatuorto with an RBI single to left field to pull within 6-2, and, the Cougars appeared in business with runners on first and third with one out.

But once again, Harvey was able to get out of it, fanning Hoenisch and Devin Vanderhoff to end the inning with no more damage done.

The Cougars' last gasp came in the sixth. Holly Fauria singled off the shortstop's glove to put a runner on with two out. Lucatuorto then raked a triple to right center that scored Fauria from first to make it 7-3.

A weak fly ball from Amu looked like it would end the inning, but the CUI left fielder dropped it, allowing Lucatuorto to score and make it 7-4.

The Cougars loaded the bases after Alvara's groundball was booted by the second baseman and Bellamy came through with an infield single. With the go-ahead run at the plate, CUI reliever Stevie Goldstein got Hoenisch to hit a grounder to second. Alyssa Yglesias tagged Bellamy out in the base path to get out of the inning, preserving CUI's three-run lead.

Rodriguez made a nice play at the warning track in centerfield to get CSUSM out of another bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the sixth, but CSUSM went down quietly in order in the top of the seventh.

Harvey remained perfect on the season after working five innings while giving up three hits, two runs and five walks while striking out seven.

Amu went the distance for CSUSM. Just three of the seven runs against her were earned and she struck out four and walked five.

Five CSUSM seniors expired their eligibility on Tuesday: Amu, Lucatuorto, Genna Main, Sarah Quiambao and Katie Wilkinson.