IRVINE, Calif. — The Cal State San Marcos softball team (3-1) split its Saturday performance at the CUI Kickoff Classic, falling 3-2 in eight innings to Fort Lewis (2-2) before rebounding with a 7-0 shutout victory over Dominican (2-2) at Great Park in Irvine.
Fort Lewis 3 – CSUSM 2 (8 innings)
TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati – 2-for-4 | 1 HR | 1 RBI | 2 R
Olivia Rivera – 1-for-4 | 1 RBI
Zoe Karam – 1-for-3 | 1 BB | 1 SB
Lauren Deplitch – 1-for-3
Sarah Bull – 1-for-3
Kaila Siu – 1-for-2 | 1 SH
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Cal State San Marcos struck first in the top of the first inning when Jillian Albayati lifted a solo home run over the left-field fence to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
- Fort Lewis responded in the bottom of the first after a single and a passed ball moved a runner into scoring position before an RBI single tied the game.
- The Skyhawks pushed ahead in the second on a hit-by-pitch and a single that set up a sacrifice bunt which plated an unearned run for a 2-1 advantage.
- CSUSM evened the score in the third. Albayati singled to right and later came home when Olivia Rivera lined an RBI single to left field to make it 2-2.
- Both teams were held scoreless through the seventh inning as the game moved into extra innings.
- In the bottom of the eighth, Fort Lewis capitalized on the international tiebreaker, scoring the winning run on a double to left-center field for the walk-off victory.
QUICK HITS
- Hannah Mann was the winning pitcher; she threw a complete game and allowed two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
- Jordan Hill was the losing pitcher; she worked 4.2 innings in relief and allowed one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts.
- Jillian Albayati accounted for both CSUSM runs and recorded her first home run of the season.
- This was the first time CSUSM has ever faced Fort Lewis in program history.
CSUSM 7 – Dominican 0
TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati – 2-for-3 | 1 HR | 2 RBIs | 1 BB | 1 SB
Malaia Huskey – 2-for-3 | 1 3B | 2 RBIs
Rae D'Amato – 2-for-3 | 1 3B | 1 R
Lauren Deplitch – 2-for-3 | 1 SB | 1 R
Madison Cabrera – 2-for-3 | 2 SB | 1 R
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSUSM opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Jillian Albayati crossed the plate on a throwing error following a leadoff single by Rae D'Amato.
- The Cougars broke the game open in the third inning with five runs. D'Amato led off the frame with a triple before Albayati crushed a two-run home run to left-center field. CSUSM kept the pressure on with a walk, a single and an error that allowed another run to score. Malaia Huskey capped the rally by ripping a two-run triple to left-center, extending the lead to 6-0.
- CSUSM added its final run in the sixth inning when Jordan Elias advanced to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch before scoring on another wild pitch.
- From the circle, Madison Cabrera was dominant all evening, allowing just one hit, a single in the top of the seventh with two outs on the board.
QUICK HITS
- Madison Cabrera was the winning pitcher, tossing a one-hit shutout with five strikeouts in seven innings.
- Alexis Verduzco was the losing pitcher, charged with three runs (two earned) over two innings.
- Jillian Albayati collected her second home run of the season.
- CSUSM leads the all-time series against Dominican, 11-1.
NEXT UP
CSUSM wraps up play at the CUI Kickoff Classic on Sunday morning against Hawai'i Hilo at 11 a.m.
