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SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 8 Cal State Monterey Bay softball team clinched a berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament for the third time in four seasons by sweeping a doubleheader from visiting San Francisco State Friday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.

Freshman Nina Villanueva (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) capped the proceedings in game one, launching a walk–off, three–run homer to lift CSUMB to a 6–3 victory. She added an RBI single and a two–run shot in the nightcap as the Otters completed the sweep with a 10–5 win.

CSUMB's (35–9, 20–6 CCAA) magic number to clinch a CCAA Tournament berth was two entering the doubleheader, but with challengers Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay postponed due to rain, the Otters took it upon themselves to ensure their spot in the postseason. With another sweep tomorrow, the Otter would break the school record for wins in a season (36) set by the 2009 team that went on to win the CCAA Tournament Championship.

Back to Friday, however, where Villanueva's efforts did more than help the Otters win two games. Her two home runs bring her season total to 13, just two shy of the CSUMB record of 15 set by Shae Olds in 2009. Her six RBIs lift her season total to 60, already an Otter record and just nine shy of the CCAA mark of 69 set by Humboldt State's Natalie Galletly in 2007. She also lifted her hitting streak to 16 games, tops in the CCAA this season and No. 2 all–time at CSUMB (Olds had a 25–game streak in 2010).

Villanueva was far from the only Otter hero Friday. Senior shortstop Jackie Serna (Corona HS) also hit home runs in both games, her eighth and ninth of the season. Junior leftfielder Angelina Orozco (Clovis East HS) added four hits, including a double and an inside–the–park home run in game two. Sophomore designated player Nikki Rodriguez (San Jose/Evergreen HS) hit her first collegiate home run to help the Otters erase an early 3–0 lead in the opener.

For all of the hitting, it would be easy to overlook the pitching performance of freshman Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly HS) in the opener. After two walks, a bloop double and a bloop single opened the door on a three–run SFSU first inning, Reinhardt slammed the door shut. She allowed just one single the rest of the way while retiring 20 of the final 22 Gators she faced.

Her effort allowed the Otters to climb back into the game thanks to solo home runs by Serna and Rodriguez in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 3–2. The Otters tied it with a Jamie Moon (Torrance HS) RBI double in the fifth inning, setting the stage for Villanueva's seventh inning heroics.

Orozco put the Otters on top early in the nightcap, blasting a shot of the fence in right center that caromed at an odd angle away from both outfielders, allowing her and both runners to score. But SFSU answered with four in its next at bat, with Sarah Catania's two–run single the big blow as the Gators jumped on top 4–3.

That lead didn't last long, however, as singles by Nicole Pires (Ontario/Colony HS) and Skyler Valdivia (Beaumont HS) set the stage for an RBI double from Orozco and a bases–clearing triple by Serna. Back–to–back homers from Villanueva and Serna in the sixth added superfluous support for Caitlin Wallace (Beaverton, Ore./College of the Redwoods), who earned her seventh win of the season, striking our four in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

CSUMB and San Francisco State conclude their four–game set with a doubleheader Saturday at the Otter sports Complex. First pitch is schedule for Noon. CSUMB will recognize the five senior from the Otter Softball Class of 2012 after the second game.