IRVINE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team collected a pair of wins on the second day of the Concordia University Irvine Kickoff Classic.
Paige Donnelly hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Cougars to a 2-1 victory over Dominican. In the nightcap, CSUSM's offense exploded with 10 runs off 15 hits to defeat Western Oregon 10-1.
CSUSM 2 – DU 1
TOP PERFORMERS
Savannah Coyle – 2-for-3 | 1 2B
Morgan Salgado – 1-for-1 | 1 R | 1 BB
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-3 | 1 HR | 1 R | 1 RBI
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning after Celeste Salas singled through the right side to plate Bella Romani who reached on a 1-out single.
- In the bottom of the fifth, Salgado singled through the left side and moved to third on a sac bunt by Aneesa Arredondo. Sammie Olivo drove the run in on a blooper over the third baseman to even the game at 1-1.
- Donnelly took the first pitch she saw over the center wall to give CSUSM a 2-1 win.
QUICK HITS
- Donnelly's home run was her first collegiate blast.
- CSUSM's starter Zoe Ballen tossed a complete game, striking out four batters while allowing one run on six hits.
CSUSM 10 – WOU 1
TOP PERFORMERS
Morgan Salgado – 2-for-3 | 2 RBIs | 1 R | 1 BB
Aneesa Arredondo – 1-for-3 | 2 RBIs | 1 2B | 1 BB
Gianna Lombardi – 2-for-5 | 2 R | 1 RBI
Savannah Coyle – 2-for-4 | 2 R | 1 3B | 1 RBI
Sammie Olivo – 2-for-3 | 1 RBI
Kayla Mack – 1-for-1 | 1 2B
Paige Donnelly – 2-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 R
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Andelin led off the game with a triple to left center and later scored on Donnelly's single through the left side to make it 1-0 CSUSM.
- WOU's lone run came in the bottom of the first as Zoie Recolan's RBI-single to center that evened the game at 1-all.
- In the third inning, Arredondo blasted a 2-RBI double off the center wall and Salgado followed with a single to right center to give the Cougars a 4-1 lead over the Wolves.
- Olivo sliced the ball into the left side gap to drive in run number five for CSUSM in the bottom of the fifth inning.
- In the sixth inning, Coyle knocked a two-out stand-up triple that went deep to center field and scored on Lombardi's blooper to center. Mack, who was pinch hitting, lined one down the left line for a double to plate Lombardi. Salgado followed with a single over a leaping second baseman that brought pinch runner Makenzie Guiliano home to put CSUSM up 8-1.
- CSUSM's final two runs game in the top of the seventh on Donnelly's two-run homer to left field.
QUICK HITS
- The Cougars ended the day with a 2-0 record.
- Entering the game in relief, Savannah Coyle picked up her first collegiate win after tossing five shutout innings and allowing four hits while striking out two.
- The last time CSUSM recorded 15 or more hits was on Feb. 14 in the 18-11 win at Cal State San Bernardino.
- This is the first meeting between these two teams.
UP NEXT
The Cougars wrap up their 2022 CUI Kickoff Classic experience on Sunday when they face Holy Names at 11 a.m.