3/25/2017 – SEASIDE, CA – The Cal State San Marcos softball team dropped both ends of a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) doubleheader to No. 18 Cal State Monterey Bay, Saturday at the Otter Sports Complex. The Cougars fell by scores of 3-0 in game one and 9-1 in five innings in game two.CSUSM drops to 7-20 overall and 6-16 in conference play. The Otters improve to 21-4 overall and 15-3 in the CCAA.
The two teams will play another doubleheader to close out the series on Sunday, March 26 starting at 11 a.m.
Game One – Cal State Monterey Bay 2, Cal State San Marcos 0
Two CSUMB home runs was the difference as CSUSM was defeated 3-0. Senior pitcher Amanda Horbasch (4-5) threw six innings, gave up three runs and struck out three. Otter pitcher Haley Fein (12-3) pitched a complete game shutout with four strikeouts and earned the win.
CSUMB got things going early as Julia Garcia hit a two-run homer to center field in the first inning. Lusi Stanley followed it up in the second frame with a solo home run as the Otters took a 3-0 lead.
CSUSM kept CSUMB off the scoreboard the rest of the way, but couldn’t generate anything offensively to close the gap. The best scoring opportunity for the Cougars came in the top of the seventh; CSUSM was unable to capitalize with one out and runners on second and third.
Game Two – Cal State Monterey Bay 9, Cal State San Marcos 1 (5 inn.)
CSUMB scored in multiples in the second, third and fifth innings as CSUSM was taken down in five innings by a score of 9-1. Senior pitcher Ashley Dagenais (1-9) pitched 2.1 innings, gave up six runs (three earned) and struck out one. Freshman pitcher Karen Roman, who started the game at third base, came in relief for the next 2.1 frames. Otter pitcher Rosalia Keirns (5-0) went five innings, gave up one run and compiled six strikeouts.
The Cougars wasted no time and struck in the top of the first. Junior outfielder Sara Langdon drew a walk and senior infielder Holly Fauria singled, her second hit of the day, to occupy first and second. A sacrifice bunt from junior outfielder Lindsay Cerulle moved them up to second and third. Sophomore infielder Amanda Lejano then hit an RBI single through the left side to plate Langdon as CSUSM took a 1-0 lead. CSUSM struggled afterwards as they did not have any hits beyond the first frame.
CSUMB grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second inning as Courtney Hennings blasted a two-run homer. The Otters packed on four runs in the third and three runs in the fifth and kept the Cougars scoreless to end the game in five innings.
BASEBALL
3/25/2017 SAN MARCOS, CA – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team rallied nicely from a tough series opener to record a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) twinbill split against San Francisco State on Saturday at CSUSM Baseball Field. The Cougars dropped game one 14-8 before taking the nightcap by a score of 5-3.
The Cougars (13-14, 3-12 CCAA) tallied four triples on the day with senior outfielder Ross Lemmel recording one in each contest. Junior shortstop Tyler Place went 4-for-7 on the day, narrowly missing hitting for the cycle after crushing his first home run and triple of the season. The CCAA leader in doubles tried to stretch a single to a double but was unsuccessful.
Sophomore catcher J.T. Sole also registered four hits on the day.
The rubber match between CSUSM and SF State (5-20, 3-14 CCAA) is slated for 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 26.
GAME 1: San Francisco State State 14 – CSUSM 8
The Cougars found themselves trailing early, giving up three runs in the first frame, five more in the fourth and a single run in the fifth.
CSUSM finally broke through in the sixth inning, pushing three runs across on three hits to make it a 10-4 game. Freshman outfielder Jose Osete got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Place’s ball to right field hit the top of the wall, bounced off a leaping right fielder’s glove and went over for a two-run homer. The final run of the inning came on a sacrifice fly by junior second baseman Nico Maida.
The Cougars matched the Gators run-for-run in the seventh and eight innings to finish the game at 14-8.
Jordan Abernathy and Zac Neumann led the Gator offense with five hits apiece.
SF State’s Adnrew Najeeb-Brush went six innings for the win, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out three.
Senior Taylor Ahearn lasted just 3.1 innings and allowed a season-high eight runs in the contest.
GAME 2: CSUSM 5 – San Francisco State State 3
Game two was a different story for the Cougars as they took a quick 3-0 lead after two innings. Maida led off the first inning with a double to center, advanced on a sac bunt by Place and scored on junior outfielder Colin Dvorak‘s sac fly.
Freshman designated hitter Kevin Britt singled to right field to begin the bottom of the second. Junior first baseman Andy Garretson drew a walk and both runners advanced on a sac bunt by Lemmel. Freshman outfielder Griffin Teisher crushed a 2-RBI single through the right side to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
SF State got on the board in the nightcap on a two-run homer by Jacob Lopez in the fifth inning. The Gators knotted the game in the sixth on Johnny Juarez’s RBI double down the left line after Myles Franklin drew a leadoff walk.
The Cougars retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Garretson was granted first after catcher’s interference was called. Lemmel followed with a RBI triple to center field and later scored on Maida’s double to right center.
Senior Hayden Weir collected the win in relief after tossing 3.1 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two batters.
