CHICO, Calif. – The No. 1 Cal State San Marcos softball team (24-3, 6-2 CCAA) split Saturday's doubleheader at Chico State (8-12, 2-6 CCAA), winning the opener, 6-3, before a late-inning comeback fell short in the series finale, 7-4, at Wildcat Field.

GAME 1: CSUSM 6 – CHICO STATE 3

TOP PERFORMERS
Marissa Morales – 1-for-2 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 SB
Jillian Albayati – 1-for-4 | 1 R | 1 RBI | 1 2B
Zoe Karam – 2-for-4 | 2 R | 1 RBI | 1 2B
Czar Fleischman – 2-for-4 | 1 R | 1 SB
Angelina Rodriguez – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 2B
Daleah Cardenas – 4.0 IP | 0 R | 4 H | 1 BB

HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM jumped in front 2-0 in the first as Marissa Morales singled and scored on Zoe Karam's RBI double before Lauren Deplitch's RBI single plated a second run.
• Chico answered with three in the home half, capped by a two‑run homer from Hannah Levy, to lead 3-2 after one.
• The Cougars tied it in the second on Jillian Albayati's RBI double to right‑center.
• Rodriguez restored the lead in the third with an RBI double down the left‑field line to make it 4-3.
• Morales delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth for a 5-3 cushion.
• In the seventh, Czar Fleischman's bunt single and a throwing error pushed across an insurance run for the 6-3 final.

QUICK HITS

• Daleah Cardenas (9-0) earned the win after throwing 4.0 scoreless innings of relief while allowing four hits and one walk.
• Amelie Valdez (5-4) took the loss for Chico State after going the distance with 10 hits and six runs (five earned) allowed, walking two and striking out six.
• CSUSM stole four bases (Marissa Morales, Rae D'Amato, Czar Fleischman and Lauren Deplitch) and did not commit an error on defense.
• The Cougars outhit the Wildcats 10-7.

 
GAME 2: CHICO STATE 7 – CSUSM 4

TOP PERFORMERS
Kaila Siu – 2-for-4 | 1 R | 1 2B
Zoe Karam – 1-for-3 | 1 R
Olivia Rivera – 1-for-4 | 1 RBI
Czar Fleischman – 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 SB

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Chico State took a 2-0 lead in the first on Marissa Anderson's two‑run double and added one in the second for a 3-0 advantage.
• The Wildcats extended the margin to 4-0 with a fourth‑inning tally.
• A three‑run fifth—featuring Bella Tavares' two‑run triple followed by a sacrifice fly—made it 7-0.
• CSUSM broke through in the sixth with an unearned run following a Olivia Rivera single and a defensive miscue.
• The Cougars mounted a seventh‑inning rally with RBI from Rivera and Madilyn Novello and base hits by Kaila Siu, Jillian Albayati and Zoe Karam before the comeback fell short.

QUICK HITS

• Bella Tavares earned the win for Chico State after working 6.1 innings and allowing eight hits and four runs, only two of which were earned.
• Hailey Shiftlett took the loss for CSUSM after surrendering three runs on five hits in 2.0 innings.
• Amelie Valdez recorded the save by getting the final two outs in the seventh inning.
• CSUSM collected eight hits but left 10 runners on base.
• With the conclusion of two weeks of conference play, CSUSM is tied with Cal State Monterey Bay for first place in the CCAA standings.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM returns home next week to host San Francisco State in a four‑game CCAA series on March 20–21 at CSUSM Softball Field.