ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State Softball team took time on Saturday to honor its three seniors—
Leanna Georges,
Alison Strycula, and
Emma Ryan—before and after earning a doubleheader split against the third-ranked Humboldt State Lumberjacks in the final home games of the regular season with a game one win of 3-1, and game two loss of 7-3.
Despite the split on Saturday, the Seawolves won the series against HSU for the first time since 2012, improving to 35-15 on the year and 25-11 in the CCAA. Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks now sit at 33-11 overall and 21-10 in the CCAA.
Sonoma got off to a hot start early in game one. After
Brielle Vidmar pitched a scoreless first inning,
Karly Macadangdang was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. She then stole second, before
Jenny Collazo knocked her in on a double to deep left field. Collazo then sprinted over to third on a wild pitch and ended up scoring after a throwing error by the catcher.
That two run first inning would prove to be the difference maker. The 'Jacks got their only run of the contest in the fourth inning on a fielder's choice to first base. Sonoma would get that run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by
Alex Flores, scoring
Alyssa Cuffia, and increasing the lead to 3-1, which would ultimately be the final score of the game.
Sonoma's pitching was superb. Vidmar pitched five innings, giving up six hits, and only one run. She was replaced by
Gabby Dupree, who pitched two scoreless innings to close out the ballgame. Vidmar improved to 13-7 on the year and Dupree earned her second save on the season.
Dupree looked to repeat the success she had in the pitcher's circle in game one, as she made the start in game two, but immediately got into trouble in the first inning. The inning ended with the 'Jacks scoring one run on two hits. It did not get any easier for the Seawolves from there. After recording the first out of the inning, the second batter would reach on a Macadangdang error, and the next two batters would both walk. This prompted Sonoma to make a pitching change by bringing in
Brigid Ruiz to take over for Dupree in the pitcher's circle after 1.1 innings and the bases loaded. The damage did not stop there, however, as Humboldt would hit back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice fly before the inning ended with four runs being scored in the inning.
Trailing 5-0 after two innings did not deter Sonoma in any way, instead they hit their way back into the game after a two out fourth inning rally. With two outs and two runners on,
Alison Strycula singled on a sharp grounder to left center, knocking in the first run of the game for the Seawolves. Macadangdang followed with a single of her own up the middle, knocking in two runs after the center fielder booted the ball. The inning would then come to a close with the Seawolves only trailing 5-3.
The score would remain 5-3 for the next several innings thanks in large part to SSU's pitching settling down and dialing in. It was not until the seventh inning that the 'Jacks would score again, and those runs were both unearned off of
Teresa Danenberg, who pitched a solid 3.2 innings in relief, giving up only one hit and the two unearned runs. She replaced Ruiz, who ended with a line of two innings pitched, two hits allowed and one unearned run. Sonoma would get one more chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the seventh trailing 7-3, but could only manage to record a two out hit in the inning by White before the ballgame and series came to an end.
Sonoma State, which entered the weekend at No. 7 in the first official NCAA Division II West Region rankings, will play a four-game series at Chico State next Friday and Saturday for the opportunity to clinch a spot in the CCAA Championship Tournament the following weekend (May 5-7) in Stockton. The Seawolves currently sit in second place in the conference standings behind Cal State Monterey Bay. Friday's doubleheader in Chico will begin at 1:00 pm.
