BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

GAME 1 BOX SCORE  |  GAME 2 BOX SCORE


SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team picked up a big early season series win with a 6–4, 4–1 doubleheader sweep of Sonoma State Saturday afternoon at Seawolf Field.

The sweep gives CSUMB (11–3, 3–1 CCAA) a 3–1 series win over previously undefeated Sonoma (8–3, 1–3). The teams split a doubleheader Friday, with Sonoma winning 2–1 and the Otters winning 3–2.

“The level of play in the CCAA is so high it forces us to play our best softball,” said CSUMB Head Coach Andrea Kenney. “This was a well played series and I am happy to have come out ahead.” 

Freshman P/2B Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly HS) continued the torrid start to her collegiate career Saturday. At the plate she went 4-for-7 with a double and three RBIs. In the circle she out–dueled Sonoma ace Samantha Lipperd in game two, tossing a four–hitter for her fifth win in six starts.

Four other Otters hit safely in both games, with Angelina Orozco (Clovis East HS) and a triple. In the circle in game one, sophomore Kylie Linnane (Salinas/Notre Dame HS) pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless, three–hit relief to improve to 4–0 on the season.

The began as if the hitters were going to dominate. Run scoring singles by Reinhardt and Jackie Serna (Corona/Colony HS) highlighted a three–run Otter first. CSUMB also scored a run in the second but Sonoma put up two spots in the first and second to knot the game at 4–4.

At that point, Linnane came in to shut the door on the Seawolves. Lipperd eventually came on the silence CSUMB, but not before Reinhardt and freshman Nina Villanueva (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) doubled to highlight a two–run fifth that decided the game.

Sonoma took the lead with a first inning run in game two. But that's when the Otters broke out their secret weapon.
The CSUMB water polo team was at Sonoma State for a tournament Saturday and came out to cheer the team on in game two. The softball team responded to extra support by scoring four unanswered runs.

“The women's water polo team's support was so important,” said Kenney. “They picked us up in game two.”

CSUMB returns to the Otter Sports Complex to host its first home games of 2012 when Cal State San Bernardino visits Feb. 24 and 25 for a pair of doubleheaders.