SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino softball team clinched a berth in the CCAA Tournament on the final day of the regular season on Saturday, splitting a conference doubleheader with #22 San Francisco State.

CSUSB fell 6-5 in eight innings in game one, before taking game two 4-2 in dramatic fashion.

With the split, CSUSB finishes the regular season at 26-26 overall with a mark of 18-18 in the CCAA.

Game 1 - San Francisco State 6, Cal State San Bernardino 5 (8 Innings)

The Coyotes struck first on an Isabella Venegas (Upland, Calif.) single up the middle in the top of the first inning, giving CSUSB a 1-0 lead. 

San Francisco State responded with the game's next five runs, scoring four in the second and one in the third to take a 5-1 lead. 

CSUSB got three back in the top of the fourth to draw to within one. Senior Emilie Lapeña (Buena Park, Calif.) started the rally with an RBI single to right center, before classmate Tereise Tosi (Garden Grove, Calif.) notched two more on an RBI triple to pull the Yotes to within one at 5-4.

The score was still 5-4 until the top of the seventh, when the Yotes forced extras with another Venegas RBI single.

In the eighth, the Gators brought in the only run they would need, completing the 6-5 extra innings final.

The Coyotes notched 15 hits in the defeat, with four coming off the bat of Tosi in a 4-for-4 effort. Venegas, junior Madison Zaro (Chino, Calif.), and senior Jonessa Hebreo (San Diego, Calif.) each finished with a pair of hits.

Game 2 - Cal State San Bernardino 8, San Francisco State 3

CSUSB was down to potentially its final three outs of the season, with its fate falling out of its hands, but a seventh inning rally punched CSUSB's ticket to the CCAA Tournament.

The Yotes took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the second on an RBI single from junior Alex Hooper (Auburn, Calif.), but the lead would only last until the bottom of the frame when SF State leveled the score. They would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double.

In the top of the seventh, senior Bri Goris (Chino Hills, Calif.) gave the Yotes the lead for good with a base hit to right, followed by an insurance run pushed across on an RBI single by Zaro.

Coming on in relief, Samantha Vargas (Grand Terrace, Calif.) earned the win with two shutout innings, allowing no earned run on one hit.

The Coyotes will play the host institution from Sonoma State in the play-in game on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m.

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