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SAN MARCOS, Calif. - No. 2 seed Cal State San Marcos is advancing to the CCAA Softball Tournament Championship game for the first time in program history after a 4-1 win over the No. 4 seed Cal State East Bay in the winner's bracket.
 
Pitchers Jayline Sloss and Ashlee Toy delivered one of the best pitching performances in the 2024 CCAA Softball Tournament. Each gave one run in the first and then nothing for the next four innings.
 
Toy came out in the bottom of the sixth and was replaced by Marissa Quintero, who put another zero on the scoreboard. Sloss answered to send the game to the seventh inning, tied at 1-1.
 
Cal State San Marcos was the visiting team on their field in this tournament format and had the opportunity to start the inning with the bats. The bottom of the order started the inning as Gianna Lombardi and Mackenzie Kesler had back-to-back hits. Paige Donnelly came to the plate after a failed bunt attempt and recorded the first out.
 
The All-CCAA first baseman worked the count full before chopping a ball up the middle to bring home pinch runner Brooklyn Ury right in front of the throw. One pitch later, Madison Waymire added two insurance runs as she cleared the bases with a double off the wall.
 
Cal State East Bay tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh as they put two runners on and brought Annelise Garcia to the plate with two out. Garcia got the barrel on the ball and drove Waymire back to the warning track, but she secured the fly ball for the third out and the win.
 
Sloss pitched her second complete game of the tournament, allowing just the first-inning run and four hits. She walked one and struck out five to improve to 17-8.
 
Cal State San Marcos will advance to the championship game on Saturday, May 4, at 11 a.m. Cal State East Bay will move into the elimination bracket, where the Pioneers will play Cal State Dominguez Hills at 2:30 p.m.