LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 3, 2017) — CSUSB opened the 2017 season with a split, defeating Minot State 8-2 in the opener and losing 2-0 to Azusa Pacific.
 
CSUSB moves on to the second day of pool play Saturday, taking on West Region foes Northwest Nazarene and Western Oregon. They conclude the tourney Sunday against Hawaii-Hilo.
 
Coyotes 8, Minot State 2
CSUSB scored multiple runs in the final three innings in its victory over the Beavers of Minot, N.D.
 
Taylor Ancona led off the fifth with a double and Ashley Leffingwell and Monica Maddox reached on singles. Jessica Angulo earned a sac fly, and two batters later, Amanda Herrera hit a two-run single.
 
Leffingwell, Maddox and Angulo collected consecutive RBI in the sixth and CSUSB led 6-1. In the seventh, Ancona drove in two to account for the Coyotes' seventh and eighth runs.
 
Angulo, Herrera, Ancona, Leffingwell and Maddox all had two hits.
 
Meanwhile on the mound, senior LHP Cassandra Williams scattered eight hits and walked five for the victory. She allowe eight hits.
 
Azusa Pacific 2, Coyotes 0
The Cougars scored two runs in the seventh and  held off the Coyotes for the win.
 
Both runs were unearned when K. Jimenez hit a two-run single.
 
Angulo, Ancona, Kaylee Gemmell accounted for the three Coyotes' hits. All three were singles.
 
Williams took the hard-luck loss. She threw six innings of shut-out ball and finished with seven strikeouts.