TURLOCK, Calif. – The No. 5 Cal State San Marcos softball team (9-2, 3-1 CCAA) collected its first series win with a doubleheader split on Friday at Stanislaus State (1-8, 1-3 CCAA). The Cougars fell 6-5 in the twinbill opener before recording a 8-0 five-inning victory in the nightcap.
 
GAME 1: No. 5 CSUSM 5 – Stan State 6

TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati – 3-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 H | 1 HR
Makenzie Guiliano – 2-for-3 | 1 SB
Mackenzie Kestler – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 2B

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Back-to-back two-out doubles by Donnelly and Kestler gave CSUSM a quick 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Albayati followed with a single though the left side to plate Kestler to make it 2-0.  
• The Warriors answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a Mikaela Ferreira RBI single and a Karli Dalbianco 2-RBI double to take a 3-2 lead.
• The Cougars evened the score at 3-all on a sacrifice fly by Delaney Prater in the top of the second.
• Stan State retook the lead in the bottom of the third at 4-3 on a Ferreira RBI single after two CSUSM errors.
• An Albayati home run over the left field wall in the fourth evened the game at 4-all.
• The Cougars went back on top in the fifth at 5-4 on an Albayati RBI single to center that plated pinch runner Klarissa Munoz.
• The Warriors put up two runs in the bottom of the seventh to clinch their first win of 2024. After Ferreira led off with a single and Sasha Martello knocked out a double to left field, Dalbianco and Lauryn Serda hit back-to-back singles to drive in the two runs.  
   

QUICK HITS

• Savannah Coyle (2-1) took the loss after coming into the game in relief, going six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out nine batters.
• Sasha Martello (1-1) picked up the win after 2.1 shutout innings in the circle, giving up one hit and striking out two.
• Albayati's home run was the first CSUSM blast of 2024 and the eighth of her career.
• Albayati registered her second and team-leading three-hit game of the season.

 
GAME 2: No. 5 CSUSM 8 – Stan State 0

TOP PERFORMERS
Delaney Prater – 3-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R
Paige Donnelly – 2-for-3 | 3 RBIs | 1 R | 1 2B
Jillian Albayati – 1-for-4 | 2 RBIs | 1 R | 1 2B
Madison Waymire – 2-for-3 | 2 R | 1 RBI
Makenzie Guiliano – 2-for-3 | 1 R
Jayline Sloss – 0 R | 2 H | 4 K | 1 BB

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After two scoreless innings, the Cougars posted a five-run third inning after Albayati and Donnelly each had 2-RBI doubles while Prater recorded an RBI single.
• CSUSM added to its lead in the fourth with a Donnelly RBI single down the left line to make it 6-0.
• In the top of the fifth, Waymire and Klarissa Munoz each drove in RBI singles to put CSUSM up 8-0.
• In the bottom of the frame, CSUSM starter Jayline Sloss retired the side to clinch the series victory.

QUICK HITS

• Sloss (5-0) recorded her CCAA-leading sixth win of the season after tossing five shutout innings in the circle, allowing two hits and two walks while collecting four strikeouts.
• Martello (1-2) took the loss after two innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits.
• Waymire has tallied hits in all 11 games.

UP NEXT
CSUSM will return home to begin a four-game series against Sonoma State on Friday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m.