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Coach Dave Williams' #8-ranked CSUSM softball team is in Hawaii this week, but it's on Wednesday for his squad, as they went up against defending NCAA Division II National Champion Hawaii Pacific.
The Cougars were up for the challenge though, picking up a 4-3 victory in game two after losing a tightly-contested game one 1-0.
CSUSM moves to 6-2 on the year, while Hawaii Pacific is now 4-2.
Game one was a pitchers' duel, with the Cougars' Brenna Sandberg facing off against Hawaii Pacific ace Breanne Patton. Both were in top form, with each pitching a complete game two hitter. The game's only run came unearned, when a Hawaii Pacific runner stole third and advanced home on an error.
The Cougars' hits came courtesy of Theresa Houle and Kimi Villalpando.
Despite the tough loss, CSUSM bounced back nicely in the second game of the double-header. After Hawaii Pacific took a 1-0 lead in the second, CSUSM tied it in the top of the third, with Derrisha Lacey scoring on an error.
But the Cougars found themselves down 3-1 heading into the fifth. The squad would get one back, with Alicia Ingram scoring a sac fly from Houle.
Finally in the sixth inning, the lineup would break though. Alex Miller reached on an error leading off, and Heavin-Lee Rodriguez singled. A groundout by Lacey advanced the runners, and another groundout by Ingram tied the game 3-3. Kaitlin McGinley then delivered the game's biggest hit, an RBI single that plated Rodriguez with what turned out to be the winning run.
Sandberg pitched around a one-out triple in the seventh, with the final two hitters lining out to preserve the 4-3 victory. She picks up the win, going the full seven innings, allowing three runs and striking out five.
The Cougars will continue its run in Hawaii on Friday, facing off against BYU-Hawaii.
