SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Alyssa Cuffia smacked her first two home runs of the season and
Karly Macadangdang went 3 for 3 with two doubles and a pair of RBI as the Sonoma State softball team crushed host Cal State San Bernardino 9-5 in game one of Friday's doubleheader at Coyote Park in San Bernardino.
The Seawolves (14-6, 10-4 CCAA) followed with a 7-4 loss to the Coyotes (11-8, 6-8 CCAA) in game two to split Friday's action in southern California.
In the series opener, Sonoma got off to a quick start, scoring three runs right off the bat (pun intended).
Alee Balanon walked to lead off the game, then got to third on an
Alex Flores double. Macadangdang scored Balanon with a double, but Flores was thrown out at home on her attempt to score on the play.
Sarah Langley lifted a sacrifice fly soon thereafter, scoring Macadangdang for the 2-0 lead before Cuffia went deep for her first home run of the year, a solo shot to center field.
The Coyotes answered with a leadoff home run in their half of the first to make the score 3-1 in favor of SSU, then in the bottom of the third, the hosts added three runs to capture a 4-3 lead. In the top of the fourth, the Seawolves'
Julie Davis brought home two runs on a single to left, plating
Cameron Kirtlan and
Ashley Long to retake the lead at 5-4.
Cuffia piled on the runs with a three-run bomb to right field to make it 8-4, then Macadangdang laced another RBI double in the sixth to make it 9-4 in favor of Sonoma State. CSU San Bernardino managed to score one more run in their final at bat, but the Seawolves escaped with the four-run win.
Brigid Ruiz earned the victory in the pitching circle after coming on in relief for
Brielle Vidmar in the third. Ruiz went the final five innings and allowed two runs on eight hits.
Like game one, Sonoma jumped on top early, scoring three runs in the first inning, one on an error and two more on a single by Langley.
The Coyotes didn't waste time in rallying in the bottom of the first to knot the game at 3-3. After a leadoff single, SSU starter
Gabby Dupree gave up a two run home run, followed by a solo home run, chasing Dupree from the game after just three batters.
It would stay at 3-3 until Davis singled home
Lindsey Calcany Blair in the top of the fourth inning, but despite having the bases loaded with one out, the Seawolves couldn't get anyone else in and it would remain 4-3 Sonoma.
Again, the Coyotes answered right back, smashing a three-run home run in their next at bat to take a 6-4 lead. Another CSUSB home run in the fifth made it 7-4, and it would hold up to be the final score.
Ruiz (5-2) was tagged with the loss after coming into the game in the fourth inning with a one-run lead.
Jenn Amaral went 2 for 3 and Kirtlan was 1 for 3 with a double.
Sonoma State and Cal State San Bernardino will wrap up the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 am.
