BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2


SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 19 Cal State Monterey Bay offense rolled a pair of sevens Friday afternoon, but that effort earned only a split against No. 6 Chico State in a key CCAA softball doubleheader at the Otter Sports Complex.

Freshman pitcher Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly HS) tossed six innings of one–hit, shutout ball as the Otters cruised to a 7–0 win in the opener. She came back to throw 5 2/3 innings of six hit relief in the nightcap, but a two–out error in the top of the ninth allowed the winning run to score as Chico escaped with an 8–7 win.

CSUMB (23–7, 15–5 CCAA) and Chico State (22–7, 16–6) were schedule to complete their four–game set Saturday afternoon, but anticipated bad weather has postponed that twinbill until April 10 at the Otter Sports Complex.

Reinhardt was in control throughout game one, facing just one batter over the minimum in six innings of work. She didn't allow a hit until the Emily McEnaney dropped a single into right center to lead off the fifth inning.

Senior center fielder Jamie Moon (Torrance HS) gave her all the support she would need with a solo shot in the first inning. The Otters took advantage of some sloppy play by Chico to blow the game open with four runs in the fourth inning before Jackie Serna's (Corona HS) two–run blast in the fifth, her seventh of the season, capped the scoring.

The nightcap was a classic from a spectator standpoint as the Otters responded each time the Wildcats tried to pull away. McEnaney's two–run homer helped stake Chico to a 3–0 first inning lead in the nightcap before a two–run triple from Angelina Orzoco (Clovis East HS) in the third made it a one–run game.

The Wildcats seemed to put the game away in the fifth when Diana Payan scored on a wild pitch to make it 6–2. But run–scoring singles from Moon and Nina Villanueva (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) highlighted a three–run Otter fifth that made it 6–5.

Chico scored an insurance run on Rachel Failla's double to dead center in the top of the seventh. That run proved crucial after sacrifice flies by Villanueva and Serna drove in a pair to force extra innings.

Both teams stranded a runner on third in the eighth inning and it appeared as if Chico was going to strand another there in the ninth. But a Jackie Muñoz ground skipped over the glove of Danielle Onken, allowing the eventual game–winner to score.

Serna gave the Otters a glimmer of hope, reaching on an infield single and advancing to second on a wild pitch with two outs, but the Otters couldn't bring her home.

Moon and Villanueva led the Otter offense with three hits apiece Friday. Serna also hit safely in both games and drove in four runs. Failla and Seaside High product Taylor Hanamaikai each had three hits in game two to lead Chico State.
CSUMB and Chico return to action next weekend at the Easton Tournament of Champions in Turlock. The Otters open play Friday (Mar. 30) with games against Hawaii Pacific (1:15 p.m.), Northwest Nazarene (3:45 p.m.) and Grand Canyon (8:00 p.m.).