SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 1 Cal State San Marcos softball team (15-1) swept a home doubleheader on Tuesday at CSUSM Softball Field, defeating Vanguard (6-12) by scores of 5-1 and 5-3.

CSUSM 5 – Vanguard 1

TOP PERFORMERS
Angelina Rodriquez – 3-for-3 | 1 2B | 1 HR | 2 RBIs | 1 R
Lauren Deplitch – 1-for-2 | 1 BB | 2 R | 1 SB
Jillian Albayati – 1-for-4 | 2 RBIs
Olivia Rivera – 1-for-1 (PH) | 1 RBI
Jordan Hill – 6.0 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 3 K
Hailey Shiftlett – 1.0 IP | 2 H | 1 R | 0 BB | 0 K

HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM broke a scoreless game in the fourth inning when Lauren Deplitch singled with two outs and stole second before Angelina Rodriquez drilled a two-run homer to right-center for a 2-0 lead.
• The Cougars added three in the sixth: Deplitch walked and Rodriquez singled ahead of pinch hitter Olivia Rivera, who lined an RBI single to left-center. A passed ball moved two runners up, and Jillian Albayati punched a two‑run single up the middle to make it 5-0.
• Vanguard scored once in the seventh on a groundout after two singles set the table, but Hailey Shiftlett closed it out.

QUICK HITS

• CSUSM starter Jordan Hill was in command from the outset, retiring 12 of the first 13 hitters she faced and finishing six shutout frames with three strikeouts and no walks.
• Vanessa Robles took the loss for Vanguard, allowing five earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
• Angelina Rodriguez's home run was the first of her college career. 

CSUSM 5 – Vanguard 3

TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati – 2-for-2 | 1 HR | 3 RBIs | 2 BB | 1 R
Madilyn Novello – 3-for-3
Jordan Elias – 1-for-3 | 2 R
Kaila Siu – 1-for-2 | 1 R | 1 RBI | 1 BB | 1 SB
Destiny Cardenas – 6.0 IP | 6 H | 3 R (1 ER) | 0 BB | 2 K
Madison Cabrera – 1.0 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 0 K  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars opened strong in the first inning as Kaila Siu walked and stole second, and Jillian Albayati followed with a two‑run homer to left. Malaia Huskey added a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 cushion.
• Vanguard responded with three in the third on back‑to‑back singles, a run‑scoring double, a tying run on a miscue and an RBI groundout to even it at 3-3.
• CSUSM regained the lead in the fourth when Jordan Elias reached on a throwing error, advanced to third and scored on Siu's RBI groundout.
• An insurance run came in the sixth when Elias singled, moved up on Siu's sacrifice and a wild pitch, then scored on Albayati's bases‑loaded walk. Madison Cabrera retired the side in order in the seventh to nail down the win.

QUICK HITS

• Destiny Cardenas (5-0) picked up the win after limiting the damage to one earned run across six innings, striking out two with no walk.
• Summer Stephens was charged with the loss for Vanguard after giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks.
• Hailey Shiflett collected a save after tossing one inning, giving up one earned run on two hits.
• With the sweep, CSUSM extends its all‑time series lead over Vanguard to 29-14

UP NEXT
CSUSM heads to the NorCal Crossover in Tracy on Friday, Feb. 27, facing Montana State Billings at 12 p.m. and Menlo at 5 p.m. at Legacy Fields Sports Complex.