LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The No. 1-seed Cal State San Marcos softball team won its first game of the day, 5-4, over No. 6-seed Kentucky Christian to stay alive in the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Conference Championship, but was eliminated in its second game, 9-6, by No. 2-seed Houston-Victoria on Friday evening at Grizzly Softball Complex on the campus of Georgia Gwinnett College.
A five-run third inning handed the Cougars a 6-4 advantage against UHV, but the Jaguars rallied for four runs in its next at-bat to retake a lead they would not relinquish. The Jaguars (27-16) move on to face No. 4-seed Ashford in the conference semifinals. The winner will face No. 3-seed Georgia Gwinnett for the A.I.I. crown.
The Cougars (34-14) will now wait and see if they receive an at-large berth for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, slated for May 11-13 at a site still to be determined. CSUSM has not missed the NAIA tournament since 2009.
CSUSM vs. UHV (Friday evening)CSUSM answered a three-run inning by UHV with five hits and five runs in the bottom of the third to take a two-run lead, but the Jaguars scored four in the fourth while holding the Cougars scoreless the rest of the way.
After the teams traded unearned runs in the opening frame, UHV took a 4-1 lead in the third on three consecutive two-out RBI singles.
However, the Cougars answered back with four singles to start the bottom half, the latter an RBI base knock by
Robyn Alvara that made it 4-2.
Brogan Hoenisch then doubled to center to bring home two more and pull it back even, 4-4.
Pinch-hitter
Amanda Meek then came aboard on a fielder's choice that scored another run before
Caylyn Rodriguez's sacrifice fly brought home
Sarah Quiambao to make it 6-4.
UHV wouldn't go away, though. CSUSM starter
Ashley Dagenais was replaced by
Naomi Amu in the circle after a hit batsman and a walk, but Lani Munoz welcomed Amu with a two-run single through the left side that made it 6-6.
Munoz then scored on Haley Beam's single before Madison Garza scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-6 UHV.
Unfortunately, the Cougar bats did not wake up as they were limited to two hits the rest of the way.
Amu (5-3) was credited the loss in relief.
CSUSM vs. Kentucky Christian (Friday morning)Devin Vanderhoff continued her tear at the plate and Rodriguez generated a couple of clutch insurance runs as CSUSM edged Kentucky Christian, 5-4, in the Cougars' first game of the day.
Vanderhoff tallied her third RBI of the tournament with a one-out double that scored Hoenisch in the top of the second to put CSUSM ahead 1-0.
In the third, CSUSM scored on a bases-loaded walk to Alvara before Hoenisch drove in
Olivia Lucatuorto with a sacrifice fly to right that made it 3-0.
Amu, making her fifth start of the season, retired the first six batters of the game in order, but KCU scored a run in the third and the fifth to pull within 3-2.
Vanderhoff doubled in the sixth, her third extra-base hit of the tournament, before giving way for pinch-runner
Breana Reyes. After an error on pinch-hitter Meek's fly ball put runners on second and third, Rodriguez laced a single up the middle, driving home both runners to make it 5-2.
Those two runs turned out to be crucial.
KCU pulled within 5-4 on an RBI single by Kailey Rigdon and a sacrifice fly from Kaitlyn Trent. With the tying run aboard, Amu was able to strike out Brooke Williamson to end the threat.
KCU was able to put the tying run on again in the seventh, but Amu forced Katelyn Miller into a weak groundout to second to secure the win.
Amu matched her season high with seven strikeouts while allowing nine hits, three earned runs and no walks. It was her second complete game of the season.
Hoenisch was 1-for-3 with a double while
Holly Fauria went 2-for 3.
