BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team was one out from the win that would have given it control of its own postseason destiny Friday afternoon before a late rally helped Cal State Dominguez Hills on its way to a 4–1, 6–1 sweep at the Otter Sports Complex.

CSUMB (26–23, 14–16, CCAA) has six games remaining but will now need some help in order to catch either Sonoma State or Chico State for the final two CCAA Tournament bids. CSUDH (28–19, 15–15), moved one game ahead of the Otters into fifth place with Friday's wins.

The Otters led 1–0 with two outs in the top of the seventh in the opener before two walks—one intentional—a hit batter and a bases–clearing triple tucked just inside the right field line brought back from the dead. The Toros then used a 5–run fourth inning to break open a scoreless Game 2, paving the way for the sweep.

Otter sophomore Cori Reinhardt (Riverside Poly) was in complete control through six innings in Game 1, scattering three hits and two walks. Freshman Lindsey Clarkson (Fresno/Central HS) gave Reinhardt a 1–0 lead to work with by coming through with a 2–out, pinch–hit single to drive home Vanessa Avila (Dana Point/Santiago Canyon HS) with the game's first run in the fifth.

For her part, Clarkson had things going her own way in the circle early in Game 2, fanning six Toros through three shutout innings before the game got away. CSUDH sent 10 batters to the plate in the 5–run fourth. Clarkson might have escaped the inning allowing only one run, but a fly ball lost in a cloudless, late–afternoon glare turned what should have been a sacrifice fly into a double to open the floodgates.

The Otters got one run back in the fifth when Reinhardt beat out an infield single with two outs to plate pinch–runner Mickella Calvin (Napa/Vintage HS).

CSUMB's final chance to rally came in the sixth when Lauren Ermitano (Hayward/Ohlone College) and Bianca Noriega (Ventura/Camarillo HS) led off with singles. Clarkson followed with a popup to the circle that wasn't quite high enough to warrant an infield fly call. Toro pitcher Stephanie Jimenez stumbled and muffed the catch, but with the runners essentially glued to their bases, Jimenez was able to recover and start a 1–3–6 reverse double play to kill the rally.

Reinhardt went 3–for–3 in Game 2 and retook the lead in the race for the CCAA batting crown with a .438 average. Angelina Orozco (Clovis East HS) and Nicole Pires (Ontario/Colony HS) also had three hits apiece for CSUMB.
Veronica Vazquez and Daisy Beltran led CSUDH with three hits each. Jimenez fanned Otters 10 for her 18th win in the opener.

The Otters and Toros will conclude their season series with a Saturday doubleheader at the Otter Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.