SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In the first weekend of California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play, the Cal State San Marcos softball team earned a series split against Humboldt State by recording a 6-2 win in the series finale after falling 8-4 in Saturday's doubleheader opener at CSUSM Softball Field.
 
GAME 1: HSU 8 – CSUSM 4
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Emily Paredez – 2-for-3 | 1 RBI
Gianna Lombardi – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI
Andrea Wood – 1 R | 1 RBI
Cherise Horita – 1-for-4 | 1 3B
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• HSU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, scoring on squeeze play after CSUSM successfully got the runner out at second.
• The Cougars answered in the bottom of the frame, knotting the game on a sac fly by Abby Callais. CSUSM took a 2-1 lead on Emily Paredez's blooper behind second base that scored Forstie, who reached on a double down the left line.
• The Jacks evened the game at 2-all on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the fifth.
• Horita led off the bottom of the fifth with a triple down the right line. Pinch running for Horita, Ronni Silas slid home on a sac fly by Lombardi to give CSUSM back the lead at 3-2.
• The Jacks took a 6-3 lead in the top of the sixth on three hits and two CSUSM errors.
• HSU added two more runs in the seventh on Mariah Kalamara's RBI double to left and Chloe Koll's RBI single up the middle to extend the Jacks' lead to 8-3.
• The Cougars' final run came in their final at bat on a sac fly by Wood to make it 8-4.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter Zoe Ballen got (3-1) a no decision after four innings in the circle, allowing one run on three hits.
• Jamie Ponce (0-2) collected the loss after 2.1 innings of relief after relinquishing seven runs (one earned) on five hits.
• HSU's Lexee Sheiring earned the win after holding the Cougars to one run on one hit in three innings in relief.   

 
GAME 2: CSUSM 6 – HSU 2
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Nikki Andelin – 2-for-4 | 1 R | 1 RBI | 1 SB
Melody Forstie – 1-for-2 | 1 BB | 1 2B
Gianna Lombardi – 1-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B
Brittney Scardina – 1-for-2 | 1 R | 1 2B | 1 BB
Emily Paredez – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the bottom of the second, Lombardi doubled off the left field wall and scored on Paredez's lined RBI single through the left side. Andelin's RBI dribbler to the pitcher knocked in Forstie before the final run of the inning came on a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0.
• Bianca Gutierrez's RBI single to left center followed by a successful double steal from first and third made it 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
• CSUSM added another run in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch to make it 6-0.
• HSU's lone two runs came on RBI singles by Koll and Micaela Harris in the top of the sixth.

 
QUICK HITS

• The Cougars improve to 4-5 (2-2 CCAA) while the Jacks fall to 3-4 (2-2 CCAA).
• This marks CSUSM's first time in program history that the Cougars have earned a series split with HSU as the Jacks lead the all-time series at 16-3.
• Jamie Ponce (1-2) earned her first win of the season after tossing a complete game, allowing only two runs on four hits and striking out three.
• HSU's starter Megan Holt (2-2) went only two innings, giving up three runs on three hits while walking three batters.

 

Head Coach Stef Ewing breaks down how the Cougars were able to earn a series split with Humboldt State to open CCAA play. #BleedBlue #goCCAA #NCAAd2 pic.twitter.com/ksuVk8H5pA

— CSUSM Softball (@CSUSMsoftball) February 9, 2020

UP NEXT
The Cougars hit the road next week for a four-game CCAA series at Cal State San Bernardino, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at noon.