SAN MARCOS, Calif. - The Cal State San Marcos softball team is heading to the NCAA Championships for the second time in four seasons after defeating Biola twice on Friday to win the NCAA West Super Regional.
 
Game 1
CSUSM jumped on Biola with four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to win an elimination game for the Cougars, 10-2.
 
The first seven batters of the game reached base for CSUSM. It scored two runs on singles, one on a sac fly, and another on a bases loaded walk. Zoe Karam would provide the big swing in the second inning with a three-run homer as Cal State San Marcos extended its lead to 7-0.
 
That would be more than enough for starting pitcher Jordan Hill, who allowed only three hits and no runs over five innings to improve to 18-4. She did not walk or strike out a batter.
 
Karam finished 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. Czar Fleischman went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base. Jillian Albayati collected four hits, all singles, right in front of Karam.
 
Game 2
The NCAA Super Regional came down to one of the most epic battles for a championship this region has seen in decades.
 
After carrying a 1-1 tie through nine innings, both teams scored in the 10th inning, before CSUSM scored four in the top of the 11th to finally put the game away and secure the regional championship with a 6-3 win.
 
Biola grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning, and it held that lead into the fifth as the Cougars' bats took a while to wake up after their 10 runs in the opener. Jillian Albayati would provide the game-tying hit with a single to score Jenna Elias in the top of the fifth.
 
The score would stay knotted at 1-1 into extra innings. Malaia Huskey gave Cal State San Marcos its first lead of the game in the 10th when she singled in Czar Fleischman, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Biola would answer in its half of the 10th when Kannadie Tsu scored on an error with two out.
 
The 11th inning began with a walk, single walk for CSUSM. A sac fly by Angelina Rodriguez put CSUSM back in front, before Kaila Sui tripled to center field to clear the bases, and came in to score on an error in the outfield.
 
Biola would try to mount a rally in the 11th, putting its first two runners on before Daleah Cardenas worked around trouble, allowing one run on a groundout, to seal the game and collect the 20th win of her freshman season.
 
Cardenas would start the game before being relieved by Jordan Hill in the sixth. Cardenas would re-enter in the ninth and pitch the final three innings. In total, Cardenas went eight innings, allowing five hits and three runs (one earned) while walking two. Hill did not allow a run in her three innings of work. DJ Symons pitched eight innings for Biola, allowing two runs (one earned) and nine hits.
 
Next
Cal State San Marcos will now travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., to compete in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship on May 28-June 3.