The Otters had a lot to smile about Friday. Courtney Varela was smiling about six hits, including her first collegiate triple, in the sweep of Chico State.
BOX SCORE 1 |
BOX SCORE 2 CAL ST. MONTEREY BAY 8, CHICO STATE 0 (5 INN)
WP - Cori REINHARDT (15-3) • LP - Brooke LANGELOH (7-6) • Sv- None | | TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | | | -- | R | H | E | | CHICO (20-19, 13-12 CCAA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | -- | 0 | 5 | 2 | | No. 4 CSUMB (36-5, 17-4 CCAA) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | | | -- | 8 | 11 | 0 |
| | TOP PERFORMERS | CSUMB: Courtney Varlea (4x4, 3B, SB, 3 RBIs); Madison Casto (2x3, 2B, run);
Anneliese Lopez (1x3, 2B, run, RBI); Cori Reinhardt (5IP, 5H, 6K, 2BB).
CHICO: Emily McEnaney (1x2, 2B); Amanda Coreiro (1x3, 2B). |
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CAL ST. MONTEREY BAY 8, CHICO STATE 4
WP - Lindsey CLARKSON (20-2) • LP - Alex MOLINA (9-10) • Sv- None | | TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | -- | R | H | E | | CHICO (20-20, 13-13 CCAA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -- | 4 | 6 | 3 | | No. 4 CSUMB (37-5, 18-4 CCAA) | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | x | -- | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| | TOP PERFORMERS | CSUMB: Nicole Pires (1x3, HR[2], 2 runs, 2 RBIs); Courtney Varela (2x3, run,
GWRBI, SB); Bianca Noriega (2x4, 2 RBIs); Madison Casto (2x4).
CHICO: Brynn Lesovsky (1x3, HR[1], 3 RBIs); Desireé Gonzalez 1x2, 2B, run). |
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SEASIDE, Calif. -- The No. 4 Cal State Monterey Bay softball team rode its historic win streak to the top of the CCAA standings with an 8–0, 8–4 sweep of Chico State Friday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.
CSUMB (37–5, 18–4 CCAA) grabbed a share of the CCAA lead after UC San Diego split a doubleheader at San Francisco State. It did so by running its winning streak to 19 games, matching Caldwell College of New Jersey for the longest in NCAA Division II softball this season. The Cougars posted their streak from Mar. 14 through April 6.
The Otters won in all facets of the game Friday. They sailed to victory in the opener on the strength of Cori Reinhardt's (Riverside Poly) sixth shutout of the season. Reinhardt fanned six in just five innings of work as her offense provided her with eight runs on 11 hits to post CSUMB's ninth win via run–rule this season.
For her part, sophomore Lindsey Clarkson (Fresno/Central HS) pitched nearly as well in the nightcap. Chico catcher Brynn Lesovsky made Clarkson pay for her only real mistake, hitting a 3–run homer on a 2–2 pitch in the fourth inning to keep the Wildcats afloat.
But Clarkson was in control otherwise, fanning 10 batters for the second–highest strikeout total of her career. She struck out 12 Hawks in 9–0, 5–inning win over Holy Names University on Mar. 10.
Stellar fielding by the Otter defense supplemented the strong efforts by the pitching staff as CSUMB handled 51 chances flawlessly to increase its NCAA–leading fielding percentage to .981.
At the plate, freshman Courtney Varela (Harbor City/Torrance HS) led the way with the best doubleheader of her young career. She went 4–for–4 in the opener with her first collegiate triple, three RBIs and a stolen base. She finished the day 6–for–9 with four RBIs and a pair of stolen bases.
Varela came up with the big hit in Game 1, lacing a 2–out, bases–loaded triple to the gap in right center to provide Reinhardt all the run support she would need. Varela then opened the scoring Game 2 by bouncing a 2–out, RBI single up the middle to kick–start a 3–run Otter second.
In addition to Varela, freshman first baseman Madison Casto (Sunnyvale/Homestead HS) had a pair of hits in both games, including her 10th double of the season in the opener. Junior catcher Nicole Pires (Ontario/Colony HS) added her second home run of the season, a 2–run shot, to highlight CSUMB's 9–hit attack in Game 2.
Sophomore center fielder Alli Cook had four hits in the doubleheader, including three in the nightcap, to lead Chico State (20–20, 13–13).
The Otters and Wildcats will conclude their 4–game series with a doubleheader Saturday at the Otter Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
GO OTTERS!
