SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Head coach
Laurie Nevarez recorded her 400
th career win in the Cal State San Marcos softball team's doubleheader split against Concordia (Calif.) in non-conference action on Friday afternoon at CSUSM Softball Field.
Ashley Dagenais' complete-game shutout and an RBI double from
Melyssa Bellamy handed Nevarez win No. 400 with a 1-0 victory in game one. In 13 seasons as an intercollegiate head coach, 10 at the University of Redlands and three at CSUSM, Nevarez has compiled a 400-169-2 (.703) record.
In game two, CUI rallied for six unanswered runs to secure a 6-2 victory.
CSUSM moves to 8-28 overall while CUI leaves San Marcos 30-9 overall.
The Cougars have this weekend off, but will travel to Cal State East Bay to resume California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play next weekend. CSUSM's next home doubleheader is Tuesday, April 12 against UC San Diego.
Game 1Dagenais (4-12) outdueled CUI's Grayson Harvey (16-4) to secure her first complete-game shutout of the season.
Dagenais limited the Eagles to just five hits while striking out one and walking one in the process. She did extremely well to get out of a couple jams and forced the Eagles to strand six runners on base.
In the fifth,
Caylyn Rodriguez reached on an infield single before stealing second base. Bellamy, who went 2-for-3 in the game, sent a deep line drive to left center to bring home Rodriguez for the game's only run.
Jasmin Dresser led off the seventh with a single up the middle off Dagenais and was put in scoring position with Hannah Howell's sacrifice bunt.
However, Dagenais got Lauren Rodriguez to line-out weakly back to the mound before pinch-hitter Hanna Miller grounded out to second base to end the game.
Game 2The Cougars jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and CSUSM starter
Amanda Horbasch (4-16) allowed just one hit through her first four innings, but the Eagles rallied for six unanswered runs to hand the Cougars the loss.
CSUSM tagged BethAnn McCann (9-2) for three hits in the bottom of the first inning and took advantage of an infield error to jump out in front. After an infield single,
Lindsay Cerulle was gifted second base when the CUI second baseman overthrew the shortstop on a routine groundball from Bellamy.
Robyn Alvara made CUI pay, sending a single to left-center to bring home Cerulle and move Bellamy to third.
Brogan Hoenisch, who went 2-for-3 in the contest, then squeezed home Bellamy with a bunt down the third-base line.
Despite having runners in scoring position in each of her first three innings in the circle, Horbasch was continually able to pitch herself out of trouble. She struck out Nicole Chavez looking with runners on second and third in the first before getting Chavez to pop out with runners on second and third in the third.
The Cougars put together a mini two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth, as
Sara Langdon and
Holly Fauria reached with infield singles. However, McCann was able to get Rodriguez to ground out to second to end the frame.
The Eagles were able to get runners on second and third once again in the fifth, and finally got on the board on Charlotte Foster's RBI groundout.
An RBI double from Hannah Howell in the sixth tied the game, 2-2, and CUI was able to load the bases after a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Nevarez then brought in Dagenais for Horbasch to try and get out of the jam.
Unfortunately, the first batter Dagenais faced sent a 2-0 pitch over the right-field fence for a grand slam that made it 6-2 in favor of CUI.
Hoenisch started the bottom of the sixth with a single to third, but the Cougars could make nothing of it.
