CHICO, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team made a bit of inauspicious history Friday, being no–hit for the first time ever as No. 5 ranked Chico State swept a doubleheader from the Otters, 4–0 and 6–5 at the University Softball Field.
2017 CCAA Pitcher of the Year Haley Gilham became the first pitcher ever to totally silence Otter bats for a full game, fanning 10 in the opener. Only walks to
Vanessa Garcia (Newhall/Heritage Christian) in the fifth and
Joanna Perruccio (Long Beach Wilson HS/Cerritos College) in the seventh stood between Gilham and a perfect game.
Julia Garcia's (Oxnard HS/Ventura College) double to lead off the second inning in Game 2 finally got the Otter offense rolling. RBI singles by
Alyssa Burt (Garden Grove/Pacifica HS) and
Courtney Hennings (Amador Valley HS) drove in CSUMB's first runs of the day in a 3–run fifth that pulled the Otters even in the nightcap.
After Chico retook the lead in its half of the fifth,
Jayme Stark's (La Quinta HS) 2–run knock in the sixth tied the game once again, this time at 5–5. But an Ari Marsh single in the bottom of the sixth broke the tie once again. Despite getting the tying run into scoring position in the seventh, time ran out on the Otters.
GAME 1 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Chico scored three runs in the second inning. With Haley Gilham twirling her gem, the Otters never got a runner into scoring position.
GAME 2 WAS OVER WHEN OVER WHEN… Naomi Monahan fanned
Gianna Marquecho to end the game with
Celeste Villagrana on second representing the tying tun.
OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS… CSUMB got arguably its best relief pitching efforts of the season Friday afternoon in Chico. Freshman
Morgan Hawkins and junior
Celeste Villagrana combined to throw 3 2/3 innings of 4–hit, 1–run relief. They combined to fan three and walk just one.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB… Celeste Villagrana collected her first collegiate hit Friday in her first official Otter at bat in the seventh inning of Game 2.
LEADERS OF THE RAFT… Julia Garcia (2x6, 2B, BB);
Rosalia Keirns (2x5, R);
Jayme Stark (1x6, 2 RBI).
THEY'VE GOT NEXT… The Otters conclude their 4–game set at Chico State with a doubleheader against the Wildcats starting Saturday at 11 a.m.
GO OTTERS!
