SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team continued to build on its best start in the NCAA Division II era with a sweep over visiting Azusa Pacific, 4-3 and 3-0, on Friday afternoon at the CSUSM Softball Field.
GAME 1: CSUSM 4 – APU 3
TOP PERFORMERS
Morgan Salgado – 2-for-3 | 1 R
Nikki Andelin – 2-for-3 | 1 R
Kayla Mack – 2-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 2B
Jayline Sloss – 5.0 IP | 2 K | 3 ER | 7 H
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Azusa Pacific got out first with a two-run homer by Dani Burghardt in the top of the first.
- CSUSM knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning after taking advantage on two APU fielding errors. Mack led off with a double and later scored when APU was unsuccessful in tagging her out in a pickle. On that play, Morales reached on a fielder's choice and eventually scored after APU misplayed Bianca Gutierrez's knock to second.
- CSUSM took its first lead of the game at 3-2 on Mack"s RBI single to center to plate Andelin in the bottom of the third.
- With runners on first and third, APU pulled off a double steal to even the game at 3-all in the top of the fifth.
- In the bottom of the frame, Giana Lombari drove home the game-winning run on a RBI single to left to plate Salgado.
QUICK HITS
- Sloss (2-0) picked up her second win after allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out two in five innings in the circle.
- Savannah Cole (1) collected her first save in relief after tossing two shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out a pair.
- APU starter Liz Phillips (1-1) took the loss after moving from designated player to pitcher in the third inning and allowed one run on four hits with one strikeout.
GAME 2: CSUSM 3 – APU 0
TOP PERFORMERS
Paige Donnelly – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 1 RBI
Morgan Salgado – 1-for-3 | 1 R
Makenzie Guiliano – 1-for-1 | 1 SF | 1 R
Sammie Olivo – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI
Zoe Ballen – 6.0 IP | 5 H | 0 R | 1 K
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After three-scoreless innings, CSUSM broke through the wall in the bottom of the fourth. Morgan Salgado led off with a triple to the right corner and scored on Paige Donnelly's sliced single through the left side.
- CSUSM got two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on Sammie Olivo's two-out RBI bouncing single to shortstop and Mayca Brown's bouncer over the pitcher that plated Guiliano to make it 3-0.
QUICK HITS
- Cougar starter Zoe Ballen (2-0) earned the win after tossing six shutout innings with one strikeout while allowing five hits and three walks.
- Jamie Ponce (1) forced three groundouts to collect her first save of 2022.
- APU starter Sydnie Sahhar (1-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on seven hits and four walks.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will begin CCAA play next weekend with a four-game series at Stanislaus State.