SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino softball team swept a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader with San Francisco State University Saturday at the CSUSB Softball Park.

CSUSB won a 15-14 barn-burner in game one, before defeating the Gators 8-4 in game two.

With the sweep, San Bernardino moves to 6-3 overall on the season and 3-1 in CCAA action.

Game 1 - Cal State San Bernardino 15, San Francisco State 14

After conceding a pair of runs on a two-run homer in the top of the first, the Yotes quickly answered with a three-spot in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. Emilie Lapeña (Buena Park, Calif.) got the hosts on the board with a base hit to left field, before freshman Isabella Venegas (Upland, Calif.) delivered a two-out, two-run single up the middle to give her team a 3-2 lead.

CSUSB tacked on another run in the bottom of the second on the second Lapeña RBI single in as many innings, driving home sophomore Brooke Brazill (Clovis, Calif.) from third base.

Brazill recorded an RBI of her own with a base hit to center field in the bottom of the third, scoring pinch runner Natalie Bednarz (Temecula, Calif.). The run gave San Bernardino a 5-2 lead after three.

The Gators rallied with two runs in the fourth and seven in the fifth to claim an 11-5 advantage.

Cal State San Bernardino answered in a huge way in the bottom of the fifth, responding with eight runs to take a 13-11 lead after five. Senior Shannon Galliano (San Mateo, Calif.) began the rally with an RBI double to left, before Brazill drew the Yotes to within three with a two-run double. Brazill crossed home on an error in the next at-bat to cut the deficit to 11-9.

San Bernardino tied the game on RBI singles from sophomore Mia Escujuri (Chino Hills, Calif.) and junior Bri Goris (Chino, Calif.), before taking the lead on a two-run error to cap the eight-run frame.

The lead again did not hold, as the Gators posted three in the top of the sixth to reclaim a 14-13 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, the Yotes finally took the lead for good. Galliano scored the tying run on a throwing error, before junior Lindsey Marschall (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) notched the game-winning RBI with a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

Uncharacteristic compared to the rest of the game, the Gators went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh as the Yotes secured the wild win.

The Yotes scattered 14 hits in the win, led by three from Galliano, while Brazill, Lapeña, Goris, and junior Jonessa Hebreo (San Diego, Calif.) each recorded a pair of hits for CSUSB. 

Junior Brooke Blackmon (Exeter, Calif.) got the win in the circle for CSUSB. She threw 3.1 innings as a starter, and returned in the sixth to throw two more innings, striking out four batters. She moves to 2-2 on the season.

Game 2 - Cal State San Bernardino 8, San Francisco State 4

Game two started much like game one, with both offenses getting to work right away. San Francisco State opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the first, but CSUSB responded with a pair of their own in the bottom of the frame. Escujuri broke the ice with an RBI single, and a batter later, Goris roped an RBI double to right to make the score 3-2.

The Gators scored a single run in the top of the third to claim a 4-2 lead, only for the Yotes to tie the score in the bottom of the inning. Junior Tereise Tosi (Garden Grove, Calif.) laced one up the middle for an RBI single, and her pinch runner Bednarz scored two batters later on Escujuri's second RBI single of the contest to knot the score at 4-4.

CSUSB took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning by plating three runs. Escujuri put the Yotes on top 5-4 with an RBI double to right, with Goris doubling the lead with an RBI single. Escujuri crossed home plate moments later with a Venegas sacrifice fly to right.

Lapeña added an insurance marker in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to secure the 8-4 final.

Junior Samantha Vargas (Grand Terrace, Calif.) got the win for the Yotes to improve to 4-1 on the season. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Escujuri went 3-for-3 for the Yotes to lead the way offensively, with three RBIs and a run scored. Tosi, Lapeña, and Goris also added two hits for CSUSB in the victory.

Next up for the Coyotes, they will play a road series next weekend at Chico State, starting with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. First pitch in game one of the series is slated for 12 p.m.

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