ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Sonoma State softball team won their third straight game against No. 22 ranked Cal State Monterey Bay with a 9-1 win in the day's opener before falling 2-0 in the series finale. The Seawolves took the series 3-1 and now sit at 14-13 overall on the season.
The SSU offense dominated the first game, rapping out 11 hits and producing nine runs.
Camille Rodriguez did the rest with her second gem of the series, hurling a complete game and allowing just one run. After a pair of scoreless innings the Seawolves put up a four spot in the bottom of the third to take a commanding lead.
Reagan Hunt and
Anna Zoia-Buescher led off the inning with back-to-back singles and
Jordyn Martinez was hit by a pitch to lead the bases.
Cassidy Romano followed with an RBI groundout and
Skylar Linnane drew a walk to lead the bases again.
Giana Hays then delivered the big hit, ripping a single to right center to score both runners and make it 3-0.
Courtney Jack added to the lead with a single of her own to score Linnane and end the inning with Sonoma State leading 4-0.
The Otters finally got to Rodriguez in the fourth, pushing across one run but she got out of the inning with a big strikeout to end the threat of more. SSU wasted little time getting the run back, scoring in the bottom of the frame on a single through the left side by Romano.
The game moved to bottom of the sixth with the score still 5-1 before the Seawolves put it away for good. Nishimoto started the rally with a single and came all the way around to score on a double by Martinez. Romano followed with another RBI single and Linnane made it 8-1 with a triple off the right field wall. Hays ended the game one batter later with a sacrifice fly to center.
Rodriguez allowed just six hits in her complete game win, improving to 7-4 on the season. Romano led all players with three hits and added three RBIs. Hays also drove in three while Jack added a pair of hits.
The series finale saw the Seawolves sweep attempt come up a little short in a pitchers' duel.
Bailee Reed was excellent in the circle for Sonoma State, allowing just two runs while striking out a career high seven. She twice ended an inning with the bases loaded by getting a key strikeout.
Offensively, SSU could not get anything going against Jensen Main as she kept the Seawolves scoreless through four. Reed matched her inning for inning until the fifth when the Otters got one across on a pair of doubles. Sonoma put a runner in scoring position in the sixth but could not get the tying run across as the game moved to the final inning.
CSUMB added a big insurance run in the top of the frame on a solo homerun by Oli Perez to make it 2-0 heading into the bottom of the inning. The Seawolves put one runner on to bring the tying run to the plate but Main got the final three outs to seal the victory.
Sonoma is back in action next week for a big four game series up in Humboldt. The Seawolves and Jacks are currently tied for 7
th in the CCAA with a 6-10 conference record. The two teams will play a pair of doubleheaders starting on Friday.