LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — The No. 14 Cal State San Marcos softball team (6-1) opened play at the D2 West Coast Challenge with a pair of run-ruled victories on Friday at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park, defeating Lubbock Christian (0-5) 8-0 in five innings before rolling past Regis (0-2) 18-2 in five innings.

GAME 1: CSUSM 8 – LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN 0 (5 INNINGS)

TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati — 2-for-2, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 R, 1 BB
Marissa Morales — 2-for-2, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Sarah Bull — 1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
Jordan Elias — 2-for-2, 1 R, 1 SB
Kaila Siu — 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI

HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM broke through in the second inning after Lauren Deplitch reached on an error and stole second base. With two outs, Kaila Siu doubled to right-center to drive in the game's first run. Jordan Elias followed with an infield single, and Siu later scored during a caught-stealing sequence to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
• The Cougars extended the advantage in the third inning when Marissa Morales led off with a ground-rule double and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Jillian Albayati launched a two-run home run to center field.
• CSUSM added two more runs in the fourth as Sarah Bull homered to right-center. Elias later singled and stole second before Morales delivered her second double of the game to plate Elias.
• The Cougars enforced the run rule in the fifth inning. Olivia Rivera walked and Jordan Munn entered as a pinch runner before Czar Fleischman singled to left. After a double steal, Deplitch lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, and Bull followed with another sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.
• Jordan Hill and Dani Cardenas combined to hold Lubbock Christian to six hits while striking out eight in the shutout.

QUICK HITS

• CSUSM's starter Jordan Hill earned the win after striking out seven over four scoreless innings while allowing five hits.
• LCU's Ashlinn Hamilton took the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, over four innings.
• CSUSM recorded 10 hits, four stolen bases and no errors.

 
GAME 2: CSUSM 18 – REGIS 2 (5 INNINGS)

TOP PERFORMERS
Jillian Albayati — 2-for-2, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 R, 1 BB
Czar Fleischman — 3-for-3, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 1 R
Rae D'Amato — 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 R
Madilyn Novello — 1-for-2, 2 RBIs
Hannah Tandy — 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 R

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Regis struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning, but Cal State San Marcos responded immediately with a 12-run bottom half to seize control.
• Morales walked and Albayati singled before Zoe Karam reached on a fielder's choice to drive in the Cougars' first run. Rae D'Amato followed with a three-run home run to left-center, and the inning continued with RBI contributions from Hannah Tandy, Jillian Albayati and Czar Fleischman. Albayati capped the frame with a grand slam to center field, giving CSUSM a commanding 12-2 lead.
• The Cougars added four more runs in the second inning. Albayati drew an RBI walk, Novello drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and Fleischman doubled to left-center to score two more.
• CSUSM scored twice again in the third inning as Morgan Hayhurst singled home an unearned run and Novello added an RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 18-2.
• Madison Cabrera earned the win after allowing two runs over three innings, while Hailey Shiflett tossed two scoreless innings in relief to close out the run-rule victory.

QUICK HITS

• CSUSM's Madison Cabrera improved to 2-0 after striking out four over three innings.
• Regis starter Vanessa Candito was pulled after just two outs in the first inning after allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven this and one walk.
• CSUSM scored 12 runs in the first inning, its highest-scoring frame of the season.
• The Cougars tallied 15 hits and drove in 18 runs while committing no errors.

UP NEXT
CSUSM continues the D2 West Coast Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 7, with games against Northwest Nazarene at 11:30 a.m. and Colorado Mesa at 2 p.m. at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park in Lake Elsinore.