ROHNERT PARK, Calif-  For the second straight day, the Sonoma State softball team found itself in a 6-0 hole late in the game.  Unfortunately, unlike Friday's come-from-behind victory that saw them score seven unanswered runs in the bottom of the sixth, Saturday's game against rival Chico State ended in a 7-0 defeat.  The loss sends the Seawolves into an elimination game against either Dixie State or Grand Canyon at 4:00 pm on Saturday.

The game got off to an ominous start for the Seawolves as Wildcat leadoff hitter Charlotte Honciano led off the bottom of the first with a solo shot over the left field fence. 

Though Sonoma starting pitcher Samantha Lipperd would settle down, the Seawolves couldn't mount any kind of offense against Chico State's Kasie McCarthy.  McCarthy, who threw over 150 pitches in a relief outing against Grand Canyon on Friday, had the Seawolves off balance all day long, allowing just one hit, a harmless single to Skylynn Myers in the fourth.

That's not to say the Seawolves didn't have their opportunities.  In the third inning, the Seawolves loaded the bases thanks to a pair of walks and a fielder's choice.  McCarthy was able to dig deep, however, inducing a strikeout and a fielder's choice before coercing Ashley Britton to ground out to third base after an epic 13-pitch at bat that saw seven straight foul balls.

While Lipperd kept the Wildcats close through four, the wheels came off in the fifth inning as Chico pushed across five runs on five hits.  The big hit was a two-run single off the bat of Rachel Failla. 

The Seawolves were unable to mount a rally in the sixth or seventh, going down 1-2-3 in each frame. 

Sonoma State will now face the winner of the 1:30 game between Grand Canyon and Dixie State at 4:00 on Saturday.  Chico State is on to Championship Sunday, where they will have to be beaten twice by the winner of Saturday's final game, in order to keep them from advancing to next week's Super Regionals.

Box Score:  Chico State 7, No. 14 Sonoma State 0