Box Score: Sonoma State 6, Chico State 2

STOCKTON, Calif- With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Sonoma State softball team rallied for six runs on six hits to defeat Chico State, 6-2, in the opening round of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Softball Championship Tournament on Friday night at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton.

The Seawolves, the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, improves to 34-20 this season and will face top-seeded UC San Diego on Saturday at 2 p.m. The No. 3 seeded Wildcats fall to 29-16 and will take on fourth-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills in a loser-out game at 4:30 on Saturday.

It was a scoreless game through four and a half innings, but Chico State had plenty of chances to put a run up on the scoreboard prior to Sonoma State's six-run outburst in the fifth.

In the top of the first, starting pitcher Samantha Lipperd struck out the first two batters she faced, but a throwing error allowed Diana Payan to reach second base before moving to first on the infield single by Hailey Stockman. With runners on the corners, Lipperd forced Sam Baker to ground out to second baseman Kayla Ledford to end the threat.

The Wildcats again threatened in the third and loaded the bases, but with two outs. Lipperd again got the job done as Baker again left runners on, flying out to Vanessa Currie in left field.

It wouldn't be until the fifth inning when Sonoma State finally broke the bats out and started its rally. Baker would get the first two outs of the inning, but that's when it began falling apart for the Wildcats. Ali Palermo singled, followed by a pinch-hit walk by Jesse Talaugon and a single by Danielle D'Eccliss to load the bases. Ledford then blasted a two-run double over the head of the right fielder Kelly Head to give Sonoma State the 2-0 lead. Skylynn Myers followed up with a RBI infield single before Rochelle Vanyi smacked a two-run double to deep center field, putting SSU up 5-0. Currie added to the lead with a RBI double of her own and the Seawolves took a commanding 6-0 lead, all with two outs.

Chico State would again threaten in the sixth, putting runners on second and third, but Lipperd, as solid as she has been all season, worked out of her jam and got Jackie Munoz to ground out to the pitcher.

After a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning, Ciara Becerril came on in relief and got a quick out on pinch hitter Jenna Wermes. However, the Wildcats would begin their comeback attempt with two runners on a two outs. Diana Payan would single to right field, bringing home a run, then Stockman laced a RBI double to center field. Becerril worked herself out of the jam, though, and again, Baker left runners on base, flying out to D'Eccliss in right to end the game.

The Wildcats would strand nine runners on base, seven of which Baker left on. She went 0 for 4. Payan went 3 for 4 to lead Chico State offensively. Stockman and Head had two hits apiece as the three accounted for all seven of the Wildcat hits.

For the Seawolves, Currie and Ledford had two hits each as Ledford had two RBI and Currie had one. Sonoma State had eight hits in the ball game. Lipperd (23-8) continues to improve upon the season wins record, giving up four hits and striking out eight batter, upping her season total to 297, three shy of the 300 mark.

Sonoma State and UC San Diego will face off at 2 p.m. at Arnaiz Stadium on Saturday. The winner will move on to the championship game on Sunday and the loser will play in a loser-out game at 7 p.m. against the winner of Chico State and Cal State Dominguez Hills, which play at 4:30 p.m.