Alec Bevan

Softball

Cal State San Marcos wins 10-inning thriller to advance to the CCAA Championship game

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ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Cal State San Marcos won a thrilling 10-inning game over host Sonoma State, 7-6, to earn its second consecutive trip to the CCAA Softball Tournament championship game presented by FloCollege.
 
The Cougars took an early 2-0 lead and extended their advantage to 6-3 after three innings, but they could not hold off a Seawolves’ team, which was fighting to play one more game on their home field.
 
Sonoma State scored two in the fourth and pushed across the tying run with two outs in the seventh on Iris Bejarano’s double.
 
The game would head to the 10th, which is still tied at 6-6. Delaney Prater doubled with one out, giving CSUSM its first hit since the third inning. Aneesa Arredondo followed with a walk, giving the Cougars runners at first and second. Kestler hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop, which hit off her glove and rolled into centerfield. Prater did not break stride rounding third base and raced home for the game-winning run.
 
Paige Donnelly was the only Cougar to record a multi-hit game. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. She helped get CSUSM on the board first with a run-scoring triple as the second batter of the game.
 
Taylor Rapp went 3-for-4 to lead Sonoma State. Iris Bejarano and Amari Houston had two hits apiece. Jasmine Moreno and Bejarano each drive in two runs.
 
Dahlia Fink (10-3) earned the win in relief for CSUSM. She entered the game with two on in the fourth and worked out of trouble by allowing only a run. She would pitch the final 6.2 innings, allowing five hits and one run (no earned runs). She walked one and struck out two.
 
Charlie Johnson pitched very well in relief for SSU. She took over in the top of the seventh and retired 10 consecutive batters before Prater’s double.
 
Cal State San Marcos will return to the CCAA Championship game for the second consecutive season. Last year, CSUSM won its first CCAA Tournament title on its home field. This year, the Cougars are attempting to be the first to win titles in consecutive years since Humboldt State in 2013 and 2014.
 
CSUSM will face SF State in the championship game on Saturday, May 3 at 11 a.m. The Cougars must defeat the Gators twice on Saturday to win the CCAA Tournament.