[Box score] CSUSM Presser] [CSUEB Presser]

NAMPA, Idaho - Cal State San Marcos capitalized on their opportunities in the third inning to score seven runs en route to a 9-1 win over fellow CCAA conference member Cal State East Bay at the NCAA Softball West Regional.
 
Aneesa Arredondo provided the first big hit of the game, bringing in three runs with a bases-loaded clearing triple. Jillian Albayati added a two-run homer before Makenzie Kestler and Czar Fleischman each had RBI singles to extend the lead to 7-1 after three innings.
 
The Cougars tacked on two runs in the fourth on a home run by Paige Donnelly and another RBI hit by Arredondo to go up 9-1.
 
Jayline Sloss then worked through an error in the top of the fifth before putting up a zero on the board as the Cougars earned the mercy rule win.
 
Arredondo went 2-for-3 with a triple, four RBI, and a run scored. Fleischman was the only other student-athlete with multiple hits. Cynthia Carrillo and Adriana Martinez each had two hits for Cal State East Bay.
 
Sloss improved to 18-8 this season. She went five innings, allowing one run and five hits. She walked one and struck out six.
 
Cal State San Marcos will move into the winner's portion of the bracket, where it will face tournament host and No. 1 seed Western Washington on Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. Cal State East Bay will face Azusa Pacific in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m.