SAN FRANCISCO, Calif- It took 12 innings in game one and came down to the last out in game two, but Sonoma State found a way to complete the doubleheader sweep on Friday, defeating San Francisco State 3-1 and 4-2 in California Collegiate Athletic Association softball action in San Francisco. The Seawolves, ranked 21st in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II poll and third in the official NCAA Division II West Region rankings, improves to 35-12 overall and 21-9 in the CCAA. The Gators fall to 19-24 (12-14 CCAA).
#21 Sonoma State 3, San Francisco State 1 (12 innings)
After four scoreless innings of softball, Sonoma State finally broke through in the top half of the fifth inning with a RBI single by
Ashley Britton, scoring
LeeAnn Stroud who reached on an error earlier in the frame.
San Francisco State got the run back in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Esquibel to knot the score at 1-1.
From then on, it became a pitchers duel between Sonoma State's
Julianne Martinez and San Francisco State's Ashley Jackson. It lasted until the 12th inning when the Seawolves finally broke through with two runs, including RBI singles by
Simone Brandalise and
Rochelle Vanyi. J. Martinez then surrendered a one-out single to Kylie Herrada before retiring the next two batters, ending the epic standoff between the two pitchers.
J. Martinez improved to 16-6 on the season after completing the three hour and 10 minute marathon and 396 total pitches combined, with J. Martinez tossing 181 of those. In the 12 innings of work, she gave up 11 hits and just the one run, while walking three and striking out three. SF State's Jackson (10-9) has 215 pitches in her complete game effort, scattering 10 hits, three runs (one earned) four walks and three strikeouts.
Both the Seawolves and Gators left 12 runners on base in the game. Britton had three hits in six at bats, Brandalise and
Ali Palermo each added two hits as well.
#21 Sonoma State 4, San Francisco State 2
Not wanting to see a repeat of game one in terms of length, Sonoma State didn't take long to put runs up on the scoreboard. Palermo had an RBI double in the top of the first before Vanyi laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Britton from third base, giving the Seawolves the early 2-0 advantage.
With
Samantha Lipperd taking care of business in the circle, the offense added two more insurance runs via RBI single by
Janelle Arnold in the fourth and a sacrifice fly RBI by
Brittany Martinez in the fifth.
The runs would prove to be crucial as the Gators would not go away quietly. A run in the bottom of the fifth would close the lead to 4-1. Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lipperd retired the first two Gator batters, but that's when things got scary.
Kelsey Wood scored Karolyn Gubbine on a single to right field. San Francisco State then loaded up the bases with two outs, however, Lipperd forced Esquibel to flyout to Brandalise in center field to end the nailbiting, and the ballgame.
Lipperd (18-5) went the distance, giving up eight hits and two runs, while walking four and striking out six. Her counterpart, SF State's Marissa Ibarra (6-8), also gave up eight hits in her complete game effort.
Palermo went 3-for-4 with a RBI, Arnold and Brandalise added two hits apiece for the Seawolves.
Sonoma State will wrap up the four-game series with San Francisco State on Saturday in a doubleheader, beginning at Noon in San Francisco. The Seawolves will then return home next weekend to wrap up the regular season with a four-game series with archrival Humboldt State
