ROHNERT PARK -- After a convincing 6-2 win in the opener, the Sonoma State softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off with a 3-2 victory in game two over visiting Cal State San Marcos on Friday afternoon at the Seawolf Softball Field.  The Seawolves jumped to 13-10 overall and 10-7 in the CCAA while the Cougars stumbled to 6-22 (4-16 CCAA).

The two teams will go at it again on Saturday for games three and four of the four-game series.  FIrst pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am.

GAME 1:  Sonoma State 6, Cal State San Marcos 2

Alee Balanon broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single to center field, scoring Emma Ryan for the 1-0 lead.  In the third, Jordann White padded the lead with a two-run opposite-field home run to right giving the hosts a 3-0 lead.

Three more runs came home in the sixth on RBI hits from Leanna Georges, Carlie Daniel and Jena Kaser to put Sonoma in the driver's seat at 6-0 heading into the seventh inning.

With a six-run lead, Gabby Dupree came on to replace SSU starter Amanda Llerena at the top of the seventh, but Cal State San Marcos scored two runs and threatened for more, so head coach Jennifer Bridges elected to re-enter Llerena to get the final out.  That's what she did, getting Melyssa Bellamy to fly out to left field on the first pitch Llerena offered to effectively end the game.

Llerena (8-6) got the win, going 6.1 innings, allowing six hits and striking out three.  Dupree gave up the two hits and two runs in her 0.2 innings of work.

Offensively, White was 2 for 3 with her home run in the third, Balanon went 2 for 2 with an RBI, and Daniel went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

GAME 2:  Sonoma State 3, Cal State San Marcos 2

Until the seventh inning, Cougars pitcher Amanda Horbasch dominated the Seawolf lineup, giving up just one run and two hits in the first six innings; the run was an unearned run scored by Alex Flores on a wild pitch in the sixth.

Horbasch got some help from her offense as CSUSM scored runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead over the hosts.

Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and trailing 2-1, Balanon recorded a one-out single before stealing second base.  Alison Strycula followed with a hard hit ball to left field that crossed up the left fielder in her attempt to make a basket catch at her knees on a full sprint forward, but the ball bounced off the glove and ricocheted into the left field corner allowing Balanon to score and Strycula to take third, tying the game at 2-2.  Then, on Horbasch's next throw home, it was wild and got away from the CSUSM catcher allowing Strycula to score the game-winning run.

Balanon went a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate on Friday, including a 3 for 3 effort in game two.  In fact, she accounted for three of the four SSU hits in the nightcap.  The other hit came off the bat of Strycula in the bottom of the seventh.

Brielle Vidmar improved to a perfect 4-0 in the pitching circle this season, allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits and four walks, while striking out three.