Box Score ST. JOSEPH, Mo.— The Cal State San Marcos softball team got back to what it does best Monday—winning, that is. In the first game of the NAIA National Championship Tournament, the fifth-ranked Cougars roared back from consecutive losses in the A.I.I. Conference Tournament to post a dominant 7-1 victory over Dickinson State.

The Cougars, who are the top seed in the Park Bracket, had one of their most complete games of the season against the fourth-seeded Blue Hawks, piling up seven runs on 13 hits while allowing just a single run in the final inning.

CSUSM was backed by a strong start by NAIA national wins leader and A.I.I. Pitcher of the Year Cortney Allen, who threw five scoreless innings while striking out a season high nine batters. The strikeout total was the second-highest of her career, falling short of her career best 11 in a 4-0 win over then-No. 4 Central Baptist in last year's national tournament.

The Cougars gave Allen run support early with a run in the second inning after Sarah Quiambao led off with a double down the right field line and Tani Leasau brought her home on a sacrifice fly in foul territory.

Quiambao started another scoring rally in the fourth inning by leading off with a single through the left side of the infield and Leasau brought her home again— this time with a two-run blast over the left field fence on the first pitch.

CSUSM extend the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning after Quiambao doubled again to bring home Alex Miller, and then scored on a Patricia Banda single that squeezed between the third baseman and shortstop.

Not missing a beat, the Cougars kept pounding away in the sixth inning, with Caylyn Rodriguez scoring on a wild pitch after singling to lead off the inning, stealing second base, and advancing to third on a Kaitlin McGinley bunt single. McGinley stole second base as well— her 40th in as many attempts this season— before scoring on a Miller double to give CSUSM a 7-0 edge.

Katie Wilkinson closed out the final two innings for San Marcos, allowing just a single run while Cortney Allen improved to 32-5 with the victory.

CSUSM now stands at 41-10 on the season and 1-0 in bracket play, while Dickinson State drops to 25-15 and 0-1 in bracket play. The top team in each four-team pool will advance to the double elimination portion of the tournament, featuring the tournament's remaining 10 teams.
 
The Cougars will play second-seeded Park (Mo.) Tuesday at 10:00 am PST. Park beat third-seeded Marian, 6-1, on Monday morning.