OTTERS vs. WILDCATS HIGHLIGHTS
SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 7 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay softball team edged ever closer to its third CCAA title in four seasons by spliting a pair of pitching gems with No. 15 Chico State Friday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex. Chico State won the opener 7–1 behind a 4–hit pitching performance from Haley Gilham before freshman
Hayley Fein (Sparks, Nev./Spanish Springs HS) tossed a 5–hit shutout to win the nightcap 4–0.
CSUMB (39–8, 27–7 CCAA) can clinch the CCAA title with a sweep of Chico State Saturday, provided Humboldt State loses at least once at Sonoma State. Sonoma swept Humboldt 7–1 and 1–0 Friday in Rohnert Park.
Chico took advantage of some fortuitous placement and some surprise pop from the bottom of its order to erase an early Otter lead with seven unanswered runs in Game 1. Gilham, for her part, allowed just one run after loading the bases with no outs in the second inning. After escaping that jam, she held CSUMB hitless over the final five innings to improve to 19–4.
Fein was just as Sharp in Game 2, limiting the Wildcats to four singles through six innings. An RBI double by freshman
Vanessa Garcia (Newhall/Heritage Christian HS) in the second inning drove in
Anneliese Lopez (Ventura/Buena HS) with the only run Fein would need to improve to 25–7.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Haley Gilham coaxed a 3–2–3 double play to escape a no outs, bases–loaded jam in the second inning allowing just one run. CSUMB did not manage another hit for the remainder of the game.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… An RBI double by
Jenae Coleman (Castaic/Hart HS) made it 3–0 Otters in the sixth inning. Although the insurance run ultimately wasn't needed, it drove a dagger into the Wildcats chances given the way Fein was throwing.
LEADING OFF… The shutout by
Hayley Fein was her ninth of the season. She is now one clean sheet away from tying
Lindsey Clarkson's school record of 10 set in 2014. By recording her 25th win, she ties Clarkson for No. 2 on the single–season wins list with 25.
ON DECK… Vanessa Garcia's RBI double in the second inning of Game 2 was the first collegiate hit for the freshman, who had just one collegiate at bat prior to Friday.
IN THE HOLE… MAGIC NUMBERS: CSUMB's magic number to clinch a spot in the CCAA Tournament is one versus Cal State San Bernardino. The Otter magic number to clinch the CCAA title is three versus Humboldt State and Sonoma State and two versus Chico State and Sonoma State.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Julia Garcia (3x6, R);
Jayme Stark (3x6, R, RBI);
Jenae Coleman (1x5, 2B, RBI);
Vanessa Garcia (1x2, 2B, RBI).
THE LAST WORD… "I'm really proud of the way the team battled back against a very good Chico State team. We'll have our work cut out for us again tomorrow." —
CSUMB Head Coach Andrea Kenney
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters conclude their 4–game set versus Chico State with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.
GO OTTERS!
