SAN MARCOS, Calif – The No. 5 Cal State San Marcos softball team (16-7, 12-4 CCAA) collected two come-from-behind wins in walk-off fashion over No. 17 Cal State Dominguez Hills (15-8, 7-5 CCAA) on Sunday afternoon. Both games ended in 7-6 wins for the Cougars as
Jillian Albayati crushed a walk-off homer in the seventh inning in the opener and
Aneesa Arredondo hit an RBI single to clinch the sweep in the eighth in the nightcap.
CSUSM 7 – CSUDH 6
TOP PERFORMERS
Bianca Gutierrez – 2-for-4 | 1 R
Paige Donnelly – 2-for-4 | 1 R
Jillian Albayati – 2-for-4 | 2 R | 2 RBIs | 1 HR
Morgan Salgado – 2-for-3 | 2 RBIs | 1 2B
Gianna Lombardi – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B
Makenzie Guiliano – 1-for-2 | 1 R | 1 RBI | 1 BB
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the second after Lombardi hit a two-out double deep to center and scored on Guiliano's RBI double to short left center.
- The Toros took a 5-1 lead in the top of the third on four singles and one CSUSM error.
- In the top of the fourth, CSUDH extended its lead with a solo home run by Alani Nguyen to make it 6-1.
- An RBI double by Salgado down the left line in the fourth made it 6-2.
- CSUSM cut the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Albayati and Salgado while taking advantage of a CSUDH error.
- The Cougars evened the game in the bottom of the sixth on another CSUDH error that brought Guiliano home from second after Waymire drew a walk.
- On a 3-2 count, Albayati hit a walk-off homer, a line drive over the left center wall, to give CSUSM a 7-6 win.
QUICK HITS
- Tay Shelton (1-0) collected her first win of the season after tossing 3.2 shutout innings, allowing only four hits while striking out one batter.
- CUSDH's Ashley Wies (3-3) took the loss after starting the game and re-entering in the sixth inning, giving up three runs on seven hits and one walk.
- CSUSM starter Savannah Coyle got a no decision after allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks in 3.1 innings.
CSUSM 7 – CSUDH 6 (8 innings)
TOP PERFORMERS
Gianna Lombardi – 4-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 R
Ryann Steiner – 2-for-4 | 2 RBIs | 1 2B
Madison Waymire – 1-for-4 | 1 2B
Jillian Albayati – 1-for-1 | 3 BB | 1 R
Aneesa Arredondo – 1-for-4 | 1 RBI
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Toros jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second on a Kaylee Hull solo home run, an Alex Davis RBI double and an Alexus Corona RBI single.
- CSUSM answered with a Lombardi RBI single up the middle followed by a Steiner RBI line drive double to left center to make it 3-2.
- CSUDH added to its lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI single up the middle by Jay Ross before plating two runs on a CSUSM error to raise its lead to 6-2.
- The Cougars evened the game at 6-all in the bottom of the sixth after tallying four runs on three hits and one CSUDH error. Gutierrez reached on an error to begin the inning and scored on a ground out by Salgado. Lombardi then hit a 2-RBI single up the middle before Steiner later hit a line drive to left field to bring her in from second.
- In the bottom of the eighth with one out, Arredondo connected on a walk-off single down the right line to plate Guiliano.
QUICK HITS
- Savannah Coyle (8-2) recorded the win after 2.0 shutout innings in the circle, allowing just one hit and no walks.
- CSUDH starter Sara Bhatt (6-1) picked up the loss after starting the game and re-entering in the bottom of the seventh, relinquishing three runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings.
- Waymire extended her reached-base streak to nine games.
- Lombardi's four hits were a career-high and the most by a Cougar in a single game this season.
- With the two wins, CSUSM splits its series with CSUDH this season.
UP NEXT
The Cougars will hit the road next week for a midweek nonconference doubleheader at Azusa Pacific on Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m.
