SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Mackenzie Kestler's walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh for a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Simon Fraser in the nightcap extended the Cal State San Marcos softball team's (12-1) win streak to 11 games. The Cougars defeated SFU in game one 24-8 and are off to their best start since moving to NCAA Division II in 2016.
 
GAME 1 - CSUSM 24 – Simon Fraser 8
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Nikki Andelin – 2-for-3 | 4 RBIs | 1 R
Jamie Ponce – 3-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 2 R | 2.1 IP | 3 R | 2 ER |  3 H
Madison Waymire – 2-for-2 | 3 RBIs | 1 R
Ryann Steiner – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B

HOW IT HAPPENED

• SFU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on Caitlin Zagari's two-run homer to left that scored Georgia Ogg.
• CSUSM answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs on four singles and one SFU error. The inning was highlighted by a double steal with Andelin advancing to second and Paige Donnelly coming home for CSUSM's fifth run.
• SFU evened the game at 5-all in the top of the third after recording three runs on five hits.
• The Cougars responded with an eight-run explosion in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of four SFU errors and racking up six hits.
• After relinquishing a solo run in the top of the fourth, the Cougars' bats remained hot with eight hits in addition to four walks that led to 11 runs to make it 24-6.
• SFU tallied two more runs in the top of the fifth before a groundout to third ended the game at 24-8.

 
QUICK HITS

• Jaime Ponce (1-0) came into the game in relief to earn her first win of the season. She went 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks.
• SFU's starter Anissa Zacharczuk (3-2) took the loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits and a walk in 2.1 innings of work.
• CSUSM's 19 hits were the most in the NCAA Division II era and tied for the second most in program history. In 2011, the Cougars tallied 21 hits against University of the Redlands.
   

GAME 2: CSUSM 6 – Simon Fraser 5
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-1 | 2 RBIs
Mackenzie Kestler – 1-for-1 | 1 HR
Makenzie Guiliano – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 2B
Jayline Sloss – 7.0 IP | 5 H | 5 R | 2 ER | 2 K | 5 BB

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Before the Cougars could blink, Simon Fraser had at 5-0 lead after the first two innings were completed. The three runs in the first inning were unearned with Hotner's 2-RBI double to center driving in the other two runs in the second.
• CSUSM's bats finally woke again in the fifth inning as the Cougars equalized the game at 5-all. Delaney Prater scored on a fielder's choice, Makenzie Guiliano's knocked in an RBI double and Donnelly followed with a 2-RBI double before Nikki Andelin's RBI single scored CSUSM's fifth run.
• With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the sixth, Sloss forced a pop up to end the inning.
• SFU's Anissa Zacharczuk retired the side to end the sixth inning.
• After a pair of groundouts, Kestler went to the plate as a pinch hitter and blasted a home run over the right field wall on a 3-2 count to lift the Cougars to a 6-5 victory.   
   

QUICK HITS

• Starting pitcher Jayline Sloss (4-0) earned the win after throwing her second complete game of the season. She recorded two strikeouts while allowing five runs (two earned) on nine hits and five walks.
• Zacharczuk (3-3) took her second loss of the day after entering the game in the fifth inning, allowing only one run on one hit.
• With the two wins, the Cougars are 7-2 in the all-time series against SFU and have won the last three meetings.

UP NEXT
The Cougars will host a single game against Simon Fraser on Wednesday, Feb. 23 beginning at noon.