SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team earned its first conference victory in its inaugural California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) game on Friday afternoon, 3-2, over Cal State Dominguez Hills at CSUSM Softball Field. Game two was halted after the eighth inning, 5-5, due to darkness and will be resumed Saturday prior to the start of the teams' previously scheduled doubleheader.

The Cougars improved to 3-6 overall and 1-0 in CCAA play with the win in game one. The victory snapped a six-game losing skid. CSUDH dropped to 3-3 overall, 0-1 CCAA.

Game 1
Holly Fauria's RBI single in the fourth-inning provided the difference as the Cougars snapped their six-game losing streak.

Down 2-1, Brogan Hoenisch walked and Lejano singled through the left side to put runners on the corners with no one out in the fourth. Tayler Ybarra knocked a sacrifice fly to right that drove in Hoenisch to tie it 2-2, and Lejano took second base on the throw home.

Fauria, the Cougars' leadoff hitter, then popped out to the shortstop for what seemed like the second out of the inning. However, CSUDH starter Jamie Duran (2-2) was called for an illegal pitch, which allowed Fauria to stay alive at the plate while moving Lejano to third.

It turned out to be the critical play in the game, as Fauria then tagged a single to center field that scored Lejano to put the Cougars in the lead for good.

CSUSM starter Amanda Horbasch (2-3) allowed just two hits the rest of the way to secure her second complete-game victory of the season. The junior transfer gave up just four hits in the contest.

Ybarra's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second handed the Cougars a 1-0 lead. CSUDH responded with two in the third, its only lead of the ball game.

Hoenisch was 2-for-2 at the plate.

Game 2
Late errors appeared to cost the Cougars, but CSUSM rallied for two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to force extra innings in game two.

An error from second baseman Amanda Lejano allowed the Toros to take a 4-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning. In the Cougars' at-bat, Melyssa Bellamy, Horbasch and Brogan Hoenisch all singled to load the bases with no one out.

CSUDH's Alyssa Valinches then struck out Lejano and Rylee Johnson, but Ybarra came through with a  two-run single to make it 4-3. Pinch hitter Robyn Alvara then popped out, so the Cougars went to the seventh down a run.

Three CSUSM errors in the top of the sixth led to another score for the Toros, and the Cougars headed into their last at-bat down 5-3.

But, Lindsay Cerulle led off with a double before Melyssa Bellamy tripled to right center with one out to drive in Cerulle and make it 5-4.

After a Horbasch groundout, the Cougars were down to their last out with Hoenisch at the plate and Bellamy at third. The senior first baseman walked to put runners on the corners.

Then, it was up to Lejano. The freshman came through in the clutch with a single over third to drive in Bellamy to tie the game, 5-5. Johnson flew out to center to force extras.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Cougars were able to put runners on first and second with one out after an Ybarra walk and a single by Cerulle. However, Valinches struck out Rodriguez and Bellamy in near darkness before the game was called.