Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
SAN BERNARDINO — Cal State San Bernardino did exactly what it needed to do and more to stay in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with an 8-3 win over No. 12 Sonoma State before falling 11-0 in five innings to the Seawolves.
With the win in the opener, the Coyotes (24-22, 16-11 CCAA) increased the season high winning streak to five straight before falling in the nightcap to the Seawolves (33-12, 19-9 CCAA).
Just like doubleheader Friday, the Coyotes jumped out early in the opener with a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. After Jacquelyn Holtzclaw drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a ground out, Ashley Collinwood singled to center field to drive in Holtzclaw.
The Coyotes stretched it out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Alex Mitchell hit a one-out double to left to score Priscilla Curiel. Holtzclaw then singled to left to put CSUSB up 3-0. The Coyotes jumped out to a 6-2 lead when Britney Butler launched her 12th home run of the season with a three-run shot to left.
Jamie Leffingwell hit her second home run of the season with a blast to straight away center to give increase the Coyotes' lead to 8-2 in the fifth.
Sonoma State tried to rally in the seventh and put runners at scoring position with no outs. Danielle D'Eccliss laid down a safety squeeze to score Danielle Lowe. Simone Brandalise then lifted a fly ball to right field as Carli Feuerbach was tagging at third. Leffingwell made the catch and threw a rope to the plate as Mitchell just tagged the back leg of Feuerbach to complete the double play.
Cassidy Lee (9-4) retired the final batter as she threw the final four innings and allowed just one run on five hits. Carly Land went the first three innings and gave up two runs on five hits.
Curiel went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Holtzclaw went 1-for-3 with and RBI and a run scored.
In the nightcap, the Seawolves traded roles as they took the first lead of the game on an Ali Palermo two-run home run to center. The Seawolves added four more runs in the third. The first came on a single down the left field line by Rochelle Vanyi before Ashley Britton launched a three-run shot to left center to give the Seawolves a 6-0 lead.
In the fourth, Palermo drilled a single to left, adding two more runs to put Sonoma State out in front, 8-0. Three batters later, Britton smashed a two-run home run to right field to give the Seawolves a 10-0 lead. SSU added another in the fifth to lead 11-0.
Julianne Martinez had a no hitter through 4 2/3 innings before Mitchell broke it up with a double down the left field line. Martinez retired the next batter to move to 15-6 on the year. Eric Prentice (5-5) took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.
Only three games separate first through fifth in the CCAA with only the top four moving on to the conference tournament April 30-May 2 in Stockton, Calif.
CSUSB returns to action next week with a pair of doubleheader with Cal State Dominguez Hills, Friday and Saturday. The Toros are just a half game behind the Coyotes in fifth.
