SAN MARCOS, Calif.— The No. 7 ranked Cal State San Marcos softball team will look to add to its season long 12-game win streak against a pair of tough opponents, hosting Vanguard at home on Thursday and traveling to Fullerton to play Hope International on Friday.
 
Not only will the Cougars play back-to-back doubleheaders, but they will start out by finishing a prior game against Vanguard that was suspended on February 7 due to darkness. At 1:30pm on Thursday, the teams will pick back up where they left off when the game was called, with the game tied 3-3 with no outs in the top of sixth inning.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Games 9, 28, & 29
Thursday, March 27 – 1:30p.m / 2:00 p.m./ 4:00 p.m.
Vanguard (23-12) at  CSUSM (22-3-1)
San Marcos, Calif. – CSUSM Softball Field
Live Stats  Live Video
 
Games 30 & 31
Friday, March 28 – 2:00 p.m./ 4:00 p.m.
CSUSM (22-3-1) at Hope International (12-16)
Fullerton, Calif. – Fullerton College
Live Stats

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
CSUSM looked sharp in sweeping No. 21 Simpson last week, defeating the Red Hawks 6-0 and 3-2. The Cougars outhit Simpson 17-6 on the doubleheader, thanks in large part to a complete game one-hitter by Ashley Dagenais in game two.
 
Earlier this week on Monday, Cal State San Marcos added two more wins against San Diego Christian in Santee, taking the pair 7-5 and 9-1. Olivia Lucatuorto went 3-for-6 with a double, a homerun, and six RBI on the afternoon.
 
CSUSM career stolen base leader Kaitlin McGinley had four stolen bases on the day, doubling her season total to eight.

THE WEEK AHEAD
Vanguard comes into the week with a strong 23-12 record, and rank 20th in the NAIA in ERA (1.89).  The Lions also are 38th in team batting average (.333) and sit just outside the NAIA Top-25.
 
CSUSM defeated the Lions 8-2 in the first meeting between the teams this season, thanks in large part to a sixth inning grand slam by Brenna Parker that opened the game up for the Cougars.
 
The Cougars are 13-0-1 at home this season, and have won 14 of their last 15 games against Vanguard dating back to 2010.
 
Hope International enters the week with just a 12-16 record, but the Cougars should know better than to sleep on the Royals. CSUSM had won 12 straight meetings, but Hope International has now taken two of the last three. However, the most recent game was a 15-0 romp in which Patricia Banda and Melyssa Bellamy homered for CSUSM and McGinley went 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI, and a stolen base.
 
CSUSM is just 4-3 on the road this season, though all three losses have come to either No. 1 Concordia (2) or No. 12 Biola. The Royals are 9-7 at home on the year.
 
HOW DO YOU "LIKE" ME NOW?
Connect with the Cougars on Facebook today! Click here for photos, videos, commentary and updates from the team all season.

CSUSM ATHLETICS
On Facebook
On Twitter
On YouTube

COUGAR TRACKS
Receive weekly email updates with Cal State San Marcos Athletics' e-newsletter, Cougar Tracks, available here.