BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1:  Cal State Monterey Bay 3, Sonoma State 0 -- Box Score
GAME 2:  Sonoma State 3, Cal State Monterey Bay 2 -- Box Score

SEASIDE, Calif. -- After being shutout in the series opener, Vanessa Currie delivered a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning of game two and it would prove to be the game winner as the Sonoma State softball team salvaged a split in doubleheader action on Friday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex in Seaside. 

The Seawolves, who dropped to fourth in this week's NCAA Division II West Regional rankings after being swept by Chico State, move to 33-17 overall and 20-14 in the CCAA.  Sonoma also pulled into a tie for third place in the conference standings with Chico State and needs just one victory (or one Cal State Dominguez Hills loss to Cal State Stanislaus) on Saturday to clinch a spot in next weekend's CCAA Championship Tournament in Stockton.  The Otters fall to 27-26 (15-19 CCAA).

GAME 1:  Cal State Monterey Bay 3, Sonoma State 0 -- Box Score

In the opener, the Seawolves couldn't get any offense going against Otter pitcher Cori Reinhardt, managing just four hits, two of which came in the opening frame.  In fact, no SSU base runner would advance beyond first base in the game.

Meanwhile, Cal State Monterey Bay pushed a run across in the bottom of the first when Angelina Orozco, who walked to lead off the inning, scored on a Samantha Lipperd wild pitch.  In the fifth, Bianca Noriega put the hosts up 2-0 with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Reinhardt.  An inning later, Kendall Gill brought home another Otter run in the sixth with a double, putting CSUMB up 3-0, which ended up as the final score.

Lipperd (19-9) suffered the loss for the third time in her last three outings, giving up three runs on six hits and four walks, striking out nine.  Ancia Purdy had two of the four SSU hits on offense, while Currie and Megan Konieczka accounted for the other two.

Reinhardt (12-16) earned the four-hit, shutout victory and didn't allow a walk while striking out one in her winning effort.  She helped her cause at the plate, recording two hits with a stolen base and a run scored on offense.

GAME 2:  Sonoma State 3, Cal State Monterey Bay 2 -- Box Score

Reminiscent of game one, the Otters scored in the bottom of the first inning, this time on a solo home run by Reinhardt.

The Seawolves finally put a run on the board in the fourth when Purdy doubled to lead off the inning.  After advancing to third on a fly out by Currie, Purdy came home on an RBI single by Ali Palermo.  It was Palermo's 47th RBI on the year, which broke the previous single-season RBI record of 46.

Cal State Monterey Bay took the lead back in its next at bat on a solo shot by Lauren Ermitano for the 2-1 lead. 

It was in the sixth inning that Sonoma State took its first lead of the day; it would come on a two-run home run by Currie, bringing home Danielle D'Eccliss.

The Otters threatened to tie and/or take the lead in the sixth and the seventh innings, placing runners on first and third, but SSU pitcher Amanda Llerena came up big and got the Seawolves out of the jam to secure the victory and the split of the doubleheader.  Llerena (14-8) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 Otters.  Six different SSU players had a hit in the contest.

Lindsey Clarkson (13-9) suffered the loss for CSUMB, giving up all three runs in five-plus innings of work, including the go-ahead home run to Currie in the fifth, which chased Clarkson from the game.  Reinhardt came on in relief to work the final two innings; she gave up one hit the rest of the way.