SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The top-seeded Cal State San Marcos softball team (42-12) kept its season alive with back-to-back shutouts in two NCAA Division II West Regional elimination games on Friday afternoon at CSUSM Softball Field. The Cougars took down Cal State Monterey Bay (37-22), 5-0, in the first game before getting payback with a 4-0 win over Northwest Nazarene (35-21) in the second game.
 
CSUSM 5 – CSUMB 0
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Bianca Gutierrez – 2-for-2 | 1 R | 1 2B | 1 SAC
Ryann Steiner – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 SAC
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 SF
Aneesa Arredondo – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 2 RBIs


HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, putting together four hits while taking advantage of two CSUMB errors. Coyle got things started with a single to left before being relieved for pinch runner Mayca Brown. Gutierrez laid down a sac bunt, but an Otter error put both runners in scoring position. Steiner knocked an RBI single down the left line to score Brown. After Sammie Olivo singled to the pitcher, Arredondo crushed a 2-RBI single to right field, and Nikki Andelin followed with an RBI after reaching first on a CSUMB error to score Olivo. Donnelly wrapped up the scoring with a sac fly that plated Arredondo and made it 5-0.
• CSUSM starting pitcher Jayline Sloss retired the side in the top of the seventh to clinch the win.

 
QUICK HITS

• Sloss (14-3) collected her fifth shutout, complete-game victory of the season, allowing just one hit while striking out four batters and walking one.
• CSUMB ace Jensen Main (24-11) saw her collegiate career come to an end with the loss, going 6.0 innings and allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks.
• This is Sloss' fourth 1-hit complete game this season.
• Andelin extended her streak of reaching base safely in 15 consecutive games, tying the season's record set by Gutierrez and Donnelly.
• With Gutierrez's two hits, she raised her season-total of multi-hit games to a team-best 23 for the season.
• CSUSM wins the 2022 series against the Otters, 4-3.

 
 
CSUSM 4 – NNU 0
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Nikki Andelin – 1-for-3 | 1 BB | 1 R | 1 SB
Gianna Lombardi – 1-for-2 | 2 RBIs
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-3 | 1 2B
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars got on the board first with Andelin leading off with a walk, moving two bases after a stolen base and wild pitch before scoring on Lombardi's sacrifice fly to right.
• CSUSM added another run in the top of the sixth when Donnelly hit a two-out double to right center, and Lombardi followed with a RBI single to short left field to plate pinch runner Klarissa Munoz to make it 2-0.
• CSUSM starting pitcher Savannah Coyle also retired the side in the seventh with a groundout, strikeout and fly out.

 
 
QUICK HITS

• Coyle (18-4) tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout, tallying four strikeouts while walking a season-high three batters.
• NNU starting pitcher Tori Hensley (10-5) picked up the loss after going 7.0 innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk. She struck out six batters in the contest.
• The Cougars are now 1-1 in the all-time series against the Nighthawks.

 

UP NEXT
The Cougars will face Sonoma State on Saturday, May 14 at 11 a.m. at CSUSM Softball Field. If CSUSM wins the first game, the two teams will face one another in a second game at 1:30 p.m. since SSU has not lost yet in the NCAA Division II West Regional.