SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Morgan Salgado crushed a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to lift the  No. 14 Cal State San Marcos softball team (29-3, 20-2 CCAA) to a doubleheader sweep over visiting San Francisco State (14-16, 7-11 CCAA) on Friday afternoon by scores of 8-1 and 7-6.

GAME 1: CSUSM 8 – SF State 1
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Madison Waymire – 2-for-2 | 1 R | 1 HBP
Sammie Olivo – 2-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 R
Savannah Coyle – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 7.0 IP | 1 R | 4 H | 6 K

HOW IT HAPPENED

• On the second time though the lineup, the Cougars' offense came alive with seven runs on four hits and one Gator error in the third inning. CSUSM's first two runs came on fielder's choices before Makenzie Guiliano scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Coyle, Salgado and Olivo knocked out RBI singles in addition to a Ryann Steiner sacrifice fly that gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead.
• Nikki Anedlin laid out an RBI double down the left line to put CSUSM up 8-0 in the fourth inning.
• In the top of the fifth, SF State's Brylynn Vallejo prevented a mercy-rule win with a solo home run to right field.
• Coyle retired the side in the seventh to secure the 8-1 victory.

 
QUICK HITS

• Cougar starter Coyle (12-1) struck out six batters while allowing just one run on four hits in the seven-inning complete game in the circle.
• Gator starter Kaitlyn Maddux took the loss after going just 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs on five hits, one walk and one wild pitch.
• Bianca Gutierrez saw her team-leading 10-game hitting streak come to an end.

GAME 2: CSUSM 7 - SF State 6 (9 inn.)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Aneesa Arredondo – 3-for-4 | 2 RBIs | 1 R
Morgan Salgado – 2-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 HR
Paige Donnelly – 2-for-4 | 2 R
Nikki Andelin – 1-for-3 | 1 R | 1 RBI
Madison Waymire – 1-for-4 | 2 R | 1 2B

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars got on the board in the second inning on Arredondo's 2-RBI blooper that dropped on the right field foul line.
• CSUSM added another run in the third to make it 3-0 on a wild pitch that Andelin was able to beat home with a slide.
• In the fourth inning, the Cougars pushed another run across on an Andelin's sacrifice fly to center field to make it 4-0.
• The Gators broke up the shutout in the fifth with an RBI groundout by Brylynn Vallejos.
• SF State evened the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh on a groundout by Lehua Deleon followed by Dani Guerrera's 2-RBI single through the left side.
• The Gators got their first lead of the day with a 2-RBI double by Sydney Jenkins to left center in the top of the ninth to make it 6-4.
• In the bottom of the ninth, Donnelly led off with a single up the middle and Waymire doubled to left center before Salgado sent the ball over the left field wall on a 2-1 count to give the Cougars the 7-6 win.  

 
QUICK HITS

• With Chico State splitting its doubleheader at Cal State Dominguez Hills today, CSUSM now has a five-game lead for first place in the CCAA standings.
• CSUSM reliever Zoe Ballen (5-1) picked up the win after just 0.2 innings of work, allowing one hit and one walk before forcing a groundout and a fly out to end the top of the ninth.
• SF State reliever Lexi Holihan (4-2) took the loss after moving into the circle from third base in the fourth inning. She gave up four runs on 11 hits in 5.0 innings and registered two strikeouts.
• Bianca Gutierrez and Donnelly each registered their 12th multi-hit game after both collected two hits in the nightcap.
• Salgado's ninth-inning blast was her first collegiate home run. 
   

UP NEXT
The No. 14 Cougars will close out their four-game series with San Francisco State on Saturday with a twinbill beginning at 11 a.m.