LAS VEGAS – The Cal State San Marcos softball team took home the 32-team Desert Stinger Classic title with a perfect 5-0 record after a 16-3 (6 innings) victory over Simon Fraser (B.C.) and an 11-1 (5 innings) win against Western New Mexico on Sunday afternoon at Majestic Park Softball Complex.

Also finishing with perfect records at the tournament were Cal State Monterey Bay, St. Edward's, and Sonoma State, which finished second-through-fourth, respectively. CSUSM had the most points among undefeated teams (36), and only three points separated the top-three teams as CSU Monterey Bay had 34 and St. Edward's 33.

CSUSM has now won seven consecutive games and stands at 10-3 overall.

Naomi Amu was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after leading all players in home runs (4), RBI (16) and total bases (24). Amu finished 11-for-16 for a .688 batting average, and she also scored eight runs and drew a pair of walks. Amu had a slugging percentage of 1.500, an on-base percentage of .722 and did not strike out in 18 plate appearances.

On the mound, Katie Wilkinson was also an all-tournament selection for CSUSM, posting a 3-0 record and striking out 11 against two walks with an ERA of 1.29 in 14 innings. Wilkinson appeared in every game for the Cougars, allowing two runs and just six hits.

On the final day, Melyssa Bellamy went a combined 5-for-6 with five runs, Caylyn Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with four RBI, and Amu put together a 4-for-7 day with another homerun and three RBI on the final day of the competition.

Four Cougars hit over .600 during the tournament: Amu (11-for-16, .688), Rodriguez (8-for-12, .667), Devin Vanderhoff (4-for-7, .667) and Bellamy (11-for-17, .647). In addition, the Cougars run-ruled three teams and outscored their opponenets, 56-10.

Game 1
CSUSM fell behind early in its first game of the day, but scored four in the fifth and 11 in the sixth to run-rule Simon Fraser (B.C.).

Lindsay Cerulle tied it 1-1 in the top of the fourth with an RBI single, but SFU responded with a run in the bottom half to retake the lead.

Amu hit a two-run homerun to make it 3-2 in the top of the fifth. Later in the inning, Breana Reyes came home on an error from the short stop before Sara Langdon eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.

In the sixth, Amu singled home Olivia Lucatuorto before Sarah Quiambao was walked with the bases loaded to make it 7-3.

Brogan Hoenisch knocked in a pair with a single, and the Cougars would add three more runs on bases-loaded walks. Amanda Meek knocked in a pair and Quiambao ended the rally with an RBI single that made it 16-3.

Wilkinson (4-1) earned the victory after working the final three frames. She allowed just three hits and a single earned run.

Game 2
Western New Mexico hit a homerun in the first inning to take the lead, but it would be the last time WNMU would score.

Hoenisch's RBI single tied it at 1-1 in the second inning. She advanced to third on a groundout by Karla Bernal and eventually scored on a passed ball to put CSUSM in the lead.

Robyn Alvara's two-run single pushed the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third. Rodriguez added an RBI single and Amu scored on a passed ball to make it 6-1.

Vanderhoff knocked in two with a single and Rodriguez added a two-run base hit to make it 11-1.

Wilkinson (5-1) earned her second win of the day, allowing just three hits while striking out a pair in a complete-game performance.

CSUSM hosts Hope International on Tuesday, February 17 at CSUSM Softball Field. The first pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.

2015 Desert Stinger Classic All-Tournament Team
Name                          School                              Pos.  Yr.    Hometown (Previous School)
Taylor Batey                 Sonoma State                     C       JR     San Jose, CA (San Jose City JC)                              
Holli Brown                   Sonoma State                     INF    SR     Fremont, CA (American)
Taylor Hoke               MSU Billings                        INF    SR     Chehalis, WA (Adna)
Jacque Lopez                Cal Baptist                          INF    JR     Apple Valley, CA (CSU San Bernardino)
Alex Mayfield                St. Edward's                       INF    SO     Nacogdoches, TX (Nacogdoches)
Nicole Nobbe                 CSU San Bernardino            INF    SR     Merced, CA (Cypress College)
Danica Arterburn          CSU Monterey Bay              OF     SR     Sparks, NV (Spanish Springs)
Alessandra Giannavola  Notre Dame de Namur        OF     FR     Anaheim, CA (Canyon)
Faith Koria                    Lubbock Christian               OF     SR     San Diego, CA (Howard JC)
Mayleen Mazon             Sonoma State                     OF     JR     Tulare, CA (College of the Sequoias)
Naomi Amu                   CSU San Marcos                 DP     SR     Oceanside, CA (Utah)
Janelle Trautmann        Augustana                          UTL   SR     Hastings, MN (Hastings)
Michelle Duncan           Dixie State                          RHP   SR     Gilbert, AZ (Gilbert)
Katelyn Klug                 St. Edward's                       RHP   SR     Sherman, TX (Sherman)
Courtney McGee           Lubbock Christian               RHP   SR     Yorba Linda, CA (Cypress College)
Cori Reinhardt              CSU Monterey Bay              RHP   SR     Riverside, CA (Riverside Poly)
Katie Wilkinson             CSU San Marcos                 RHP   SR     Carlsbad, CA (Carlsbad)