SEASIDE, Calif. — The No. 5 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay softball team rallied from a 4–1 deficit to tie the game, only to concede the deciding run on a 2–out passed ball in a 5–4 loss to Sonoma State in Game 4 of the NCAA Division II West Regional Friday at the Otter Sports Complex.

With the loss, CSUMB ends another impressive season with a 43–13 record. Sonoma State, which went on to defeat Western Washington 6–4 following its win over the Otters, advances to the West Region title game against Dixie State Saturday afternoon.

Sonoma needed just three hits to score its first four runs. Those three hits were all homers: A 2–run blast by Jenn Amaral and solo shots from Jordan White and Karly Macadangdang.

The Otters came within inches of taking a 3–2 lead in the third innings when Julia Garcia's (Ventura College) laser hit the top of the fence in right field. Instead of going out, the ball created confusion on the base paths, resulting in an out when two runners were at third base. CSUMB ended up with a run on the play, but Garcia had to settle for a single instead of her school–record 16th home run, short circuiting what could have been a big inning.

CSUMB rallied to tie the game on a clutch 2–out, 2–run single by Jenae Coleman (Castaic/Hart HS) in the top of the sixth. But a 2–out passed ball with runners on first and third in the bottom of the inning allowed the go–ahead run to score, effectively ending the CSUMB season.
 

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THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Alex Flores scored on a passed ball with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. CSUMB went out in order in the seventh to officially end the game.

IN OTHER REGIONAL ACTION… Dixie State took the winner's bracket game from Western Washington, 5–0. Sonoma State then score six unanswered runs to open the game en route to eliminating Western Washington, 6–4.

LEADING OFF… CSUMB posted 43 wins in 2017 (43–13). That marks the fourth most wins in program history and the fourth 40–win season for CSUMB softball in the past six years.

ON DECK… Julia Garcia went 1-for-4 Friday afternoon to finish the season with a .457 batting average. That mark trails only the .462 average posted by Cori Reinhardt in 2012. She also finished with 80 hits, second only to the 82 hits by Bianca Noriega in 2014.

LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Sam Luna (2x3, 2B, R, RBI); Jenae Coleman (1x2, 2 RBI); Madison Casto (2x4).

THEY'VE GOT NEXT… Friday game marked the end of the 2017 CSUMB softball season.