Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
SAN BERNARDINO – It appears that head coach Tacy Duncan has found a gem on the mound in freshman RHP Kacey Cota.
Cota led the Coyotes in a 2-1 win over Chico State with a five-strikeout, six-hitter and came back to earn the save in the second game with the Coyotes earning a 6-4 conquest over the Wildcats.
The doubleheader sweep was CSUSB's first since defeating Cal State Stanislaus on Feb. 23 and extends their good fortune to four wins in their last five ballgames.
CSUSB, now 15-29 overall and 9-17 CCAA, and Chico State (19-19, 16-10) complete the weekend series with a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch is 11 a.m. The Coyotes will honor their seniors in a postgame ceremony.
Game 1: Coyotes 2, Chico State 1
The Coyotes needed just two runs to support Cota on this day and earned the victory when Alyssa Flores doubled to left center to score Charlotte Galzote all the way from first in the third inning.
CSUSB grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second. Jamie Leffingwell led off the inning with a double to left and came around to score two outs later on Na'Tavia Lee's single to short.
Chico State came back to tie the game at 1-1 on Emily McEnaney's double to center that scored Taylor Hanamaikai.
Cota gave up just one extra-base hit and offered only one walk and one hit batter for her complete game.
Leffingwell had two hits as the Coyotes out-hit the Wildcats 8-6.
Alex Molina had two hits for the Wildcats.
Game 2: Coyotes 6, Chico State 4
Leading 1-0 through four inning, the Coyotes answered with a 5-run fifth to put the lead seemingly in control at 6-0.
Charlotte Galzote came through with a bases-clearing double to key the inning as the Coyotes struck with five runs on four hits.
But Chico State came right back with a four-run, four-hit sixth to cut the lead to 6-4. Earning the big hit in the inning was Desiree Gonzalez' two-run single.
Taylor Davis (4-4) went five innings for the Coyotes and allowed two runs – both earned. Cota came on with one runner on in the seventh and got three straight outs to sew up the win.
Galzote was 3-for-4 with four RBI and Victoria Lievanos and Monica Ferguson each had one RBI.
Flores and Darian Manuz each had two hits. Manuz accounted for the only double on the day for either team.