AZUSA, Calif.  – The Cal State San Marcos softball team (21-16) split its doubleheader at Azusa Pacific (22-18) on Wednesday night, recording a 4-2 victory in the second game after dropping game one 7-2.
 
GAME 1: CSUSM 2 – APU 7
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati – 1-for-3 | 2 RBI | 1 2B
Bianca Gutierrez – 1-for-4 | 1 R
Aneesa Arredondo – 2-for-2 | 1 R | 1 BB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• APU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Sierra Sandoval double to left that plated Caitlin DeCanio.
• CSUSM went up 2-1 in the top of the third on an Albayati 2-RBI double down the left line that scored Gutierrez and Arredondo.
• An RBI infield single by Mia Alvarez that took a weird bounce on Guiliano scored Izzy Rivera and evened the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame.
• APU broke open the tie with a four spot in the bottom of the fifth inning on a bases-loaded walk by Bella Fraser, an RBI single by Sandoval and a 2-RBI single up the middle by Aleah Delgado.
• APU added one final run in the sixth on a passed ball that plated Carley Gay.
   

QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter Jayline Sloss (5-7) took the loss despite striking out five while allowing four hits and three walks. All six runs scored with Sloss in the circle were unearned.
• APU starter Katie Korstrom (15-4) went the distance to collect the win, allowing two runs on five hits and five walks.
• Gutierrez extended her reached-base streak to 13 games and her hit streak to nine games.

GAME 2: CSUSM 4 – APU 2
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Czar Fleischman – 3-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-2 | 2 RBIs | 1 HR
Mackenzie Kestler – 2-for-3 | 1 R | 1 2B | 1 BB
Bianca Gutierrez – 2-for-4 | 1 SB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• APU went up 2-0 in the third inning on Izzy Rivera's 2-RBI infield single.
• In the fourth inning, CSUSM got on the board on Arredondo's RBI double down the left line that plated Delaney Prater who led off the inning with a walk.
• After Kestler led off the fifth with a double to right field, Donnelly crushed a home run to left field to give CSUSM a 3-2 lead.
• CSUSM added to its lead in the top of the sixth when Fleischman led off with a double, moved to third on Gutierrez's bunt single and scored when she stole second, forcing APU to make a throwing error.

 
QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter Zoe Ballen (5-4) recorded the win after going 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out two.
• Savannah Coyle registered her third save after tossing 2.1 shutout innings, giving up only two hits and one walk.
• APU reliever Liz Phillips (2-7) picked up the loss after relinquishing two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk in 2.0 innings.
• Fleischman tallied her first collegiate multi-hit game after going 3-for-3 at the plate.
• Gutierrez moved her team-leading hit streak to 10 while nabbing her 11th multi-hit game, the most by a Cougar this season.
• Donnelly raised her home run total to five while collecting her team-high seventh multi-RBI game of 2023.

 
UP NEXT
The Cougars will take the weekend off before resuming CCAA play next weekend at Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday, April 21 with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.