In their final tune-up before heading to Georgia for the A.I.I. playoffs, Cougar softball looked in top form on Saturday, defeating Hope International 9-0 and 4-1.

With the wins, the #23 ranked Cougars have turned in their first 30-win season.  CSUSM finishes the regular season with a 30-21 record.

CSUSM would jump out to a big lead early in game one.  After a scoreless first, Lauren Nelson reached on an error to lead off the second, and an Elizabeth Bush single and Tasha Stokes hit-by-pitch would load the bases.  With two outs, the rally looked nearly dead:  Ciera Ashman got down in the count 1-2, and was showing bunt.  But when the pitcher delivered, Ashman pulled the bat back and hammered an inside fastball, turning on the pitch and driving it a good 20 feet beyond the fence in right for a grand slam.  

While her power was the story, Ashman was just as impressive on the mound.  The freshman has really come on lately as a pitcher, and was at work once again on Saturday.  The lefty threw a complete game shutout, never really getting in trouble and cruising to her third win of the season.  Ashman allowed just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.

And Ashman would only be required to work five innings, thanks to the mercy rule and the Cougars' hot-hitting offense.  Up 4-0 in the third, Alyssa Dronenburg, Erica Coelho, Nelson, and Shanti Poston all singled, pushing the lead to 6-0.

They'd add another run in the fourth on a Poston single, and Ashley Estepa ended things in the fifth with a bases-loaded two-run double, making it 9-0 and invoking the mercy rule.

Between games, pitcher Melissa Lerno and shortstopAlicia Vicencio were honored for Senior Day.  This was the last home game for these two seniors, and they would both make quite an impact before the day ended.

In game two, Ashman got things started off the right way, driving the first pitch she saw over the center fielder's head for a double.  Estepa traded places with her, ripping a double of her own to left center to make it 1-0.  

But the game was about Lerno, who was in vintage form early on, tossing four perfect innings.  The Cougar ace has anchored the team's pitching staff since its inaugural season on 2007, and looked as good as ever in her final home start.

But Hope International was set to spoil it, and rallied with two outs in the fifth to tie the game 1-1.

Fittingly, it would be Vicencio who broke the tie.  After Nelson reached on an error in the bottom of the fifth, Vicencio smoked an RBI double to left, putting CSUSM back on top 2-1.  Ashman and Estepa would promptly knock back-to-back singles to give the Cougars some breathing room at 3-1.

A sacrifice fly from Shanti Poston pushed it to 4-1, and that would be plenty for Lerno to close out what she started.  She finished off the 3-hitter by pitching a perfect sixth and seventh innings – certainly a nice way to head into the post-season.

The playoffs start April 30th!