SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team came-from-behind to take down Cal State Monterey Bay 6-3 in game one before falling 6-3 in game two in the teams' California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader on Saturday at CSUSM Softball Field.
The Cougars earned their first CCAA series split since the conference's opening weekend, Feb. 12-13 against Cal State Dominguez Hills. CSUSM moves to 6-20 overall and 4-14 in CCAA play.
CSUMB moves to 11-14 overall, 6-12 CCAA.
The Cougars head to Rohnert Park next weekend to take on Sonoma State in another four-game conference series.
Game 1The Cougars were held hitless through the first three innings, but rallied for a pair of runs in each of their final three at-bats for a come-from-behind 6-3 victory in game one.
Tayler Ybarra's RBI single put the Cougars in the lead for good in the fifth and a two-run single by
Robyn Alvara in the sixth provided CSUSM the extra padding it needed.
The Otters jumped ahead 3-0 in their first at-bat with three hits off CSUSM starter
Ashley Dagenais (3-9) while CSUMB's Bianca Noriega (3-4) seemed to be on cruise control through the first three frames.
However, in the fourth,
Lindsay Cerulle singled through the left side and eventually made it to third after the ball slid through left-fielder Marielle Valdez's legs and rolled to the fence.
Melyssa Bellamy followed with a hit through the middle and stretched it into a double as it traversed into the gap. Cerulle came home and the Cougars made it 3-1.
A walk to
Robyn Alvara put runners on first and second with no out, but Noriega was able to retire the next two batters.
Karla Bernal then worked a nine-pitch at-bat and capped it off with an RBI single to center to make it 3-2.
Holly Fauria used her speed in the fifth inning to earn the game's tying run. She led-off with an infield single and eventually reached third when the throw on her stolen base attempt flew into center field.
Caylyn Rodriguez promptly drove in Fauria with a single through the infield that made it 3-3.
Noriega was unfortunate not to get through the inning with any more damage done, but it was prolonged with an error behind her. Ybarra made the Otters pay, as the Cougars' RBI leader came through with an RBI single to center that made it 4-3.
Another error by the Otters in the sixth prolonged the frame and allowed the Cougars to load the bases with two outs. Alvara sent a single through the middle that scored two and made it 6-3.
The Cougars' 10 hits were their most since Feb. 13 against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Game 2CSUSM trailed 5-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning, but eventually brought the tying run to the plate with two out in the bottom of the seventh before falling just short in game two.
Three doubles by Anneliese Lopez and a three-run home run from Maddy Casto pushed the Otter lead to five.
However,
Karla Bernal drove in a run in the sixth to make it 5-1 on an RBI fielder's choice.
In the seventh, Cerulle and Bellamy came through with one-out singles before moving to second and third on a wild pitch. A walk to Alvara loaded the bases.
Ybarra pushed a run across on an RBI groundout to make it 6-2 and the Cougars were down to their final out.
Amanda Horbasch extended the game with an RBI single that made it 6-3, her second hit of the game.
Abby Allen pinch-hit for
Brogan Hoenisch with a pair of runners aboard, but CSUMB hurler Tori Pierucci (6-5) sat Allen down on three straight pitches to end the ball game.
Alvara finished the series 4-for-10 (.400) with a pair of RBI and three walks. Rodriguez hit .333 (4-for-12) with three RBI, three runs scored and a walk-off home run in the series opener on Friday. Cerulle hit .308 (4-for-13) with four runs scored and two stolen bases. Ybarra and Bellamy each had three RBI in the series.
