IRVINE, Calif. – The No. 23 Cal State San Marcos softball team (4-0) is off to its best start in the NCAA Division II era (2015-present) with two more victories on Saturday at the Concordia University Irvine Kickoff Classic. The Cougars pulled off a 5-2 upset over No. 18 Northwest Nazarene (3-1) in the morning before recording an 11-2 mercy-ruled victory over Western Oregon (0-3).
CSUSM 5 – NNU 2
TOP PERFORMERS
Savannah Coyle – 2-for-3 | 1 RBI | 7 IP | 7 Ks
Mackenzie Kestler – 2-for-3 | 1 R
Jillian Albayati – 2-for-3 | 1 2B
Paige Donnelly – 1-for-3 | 1 R
Delaney Prater – 1-for-1 | 1 2B
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Nighthawks took a quick 1-0 lead in the opening frame on a Charlotte Forniss RBI double down the left line.
- CSUSM went up 2-0 in the bottom of the third on back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Paige Donnelly and Savannah Coyle after Jordan Elias reached base on an error.
- The Cougars extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Czar Fleischman that made it 3-1.
- CSUSM added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth on pinch hitter Delaney Prater's RBI double down the right line and pinch runner Macy Fuller scoring on a rundown that made it 5-2.
- NNU put one more run on the board in the sixth on a bases-loaded fielder's choice.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM starting pitcher Savannah Coyle (2-0) tossed a complete game for the win, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters and walking none.
- NNU starter Riley McGee (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings.
- Coyle extended her streak of reaching base safely to 11 games.
- CSUSM moves to 3-1 in the all-time series with NNU.
CSUSM 11 – WOU 2 (5 innings)
TOP PERFORMERS
Madison Waymire – 4-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 2 R | 1 HR | 1 2B
Paige Donnelly – 3-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 1 SF
Delaney Prater – 3-for-4 | 3 RBIs | 1 2B
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With four hits in the first inning, CSUSM went up 3-0 on a Paige Donnelly sacrifice fly, a passed ball and a Delaney Prater RBI single.
- A Madison Waymire 2-RBI double up the middle extended CSUSM's lead to 5-0 in the second inning.
- The Wolves prevented the shutout with two runs in the bottom of the third, scoring on a wild pitch before Jenna Bixler knocked out an RBI infield single to make it 5-2 CSUSM.
- CSUSM added two more runs in the top of the fourth on a Prater RBI double before Marissa Morales reached on a WOU error that plated Aneesa Arredondo to make it 7-2.
- A four-run fifth inning put CSUSM ahead 11-2 to initiate the eight-run mercy rule. After Waymire hit a one-out solo home run to center field, Arredondo and Prater hit back-to-back RBI singles before Olivia Rivera closed out the scoring with an RBI groundout.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM starter Dahlia Fink (1-0) collected her first win after allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out two in 5.0 innings.
- WOU starter Alyssa Fullmer (0-2) took the loss after going 2.0 innings, giving up five rns on seven hits and one walk.
- Paige Donnelly and Jillian Albayati have each tallied at least one hit in each of the first four games.
- Albayati has notched two hits in three of the four games.
UP NEXT
The Cougars will wrap up the CUI Kickoff Classic on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. against Colorado Christian.
Latest Women's Softball
- No. 17 CSUSM Claims Series Win With Friday Twinbill Sweep Against Sonoma StateThe No. 17 Cal State San Marcos softball team (20-5, 8-4 CCAA) swept Friday's doubleheader against Sonoma State (15-16, 5-11 CCAA) to clinch the series victory at 3-1. The final scores were 3-2 and 8-4 at Santa Rosa Junior College.
- No. 17 CSUSM Splits Thursday's Twinbill Against SSUThe No. 17 Cal State San Marcos softball team (18-5, 6-4 CCAA) earned a doubleheader split on Thursday against Sonoma State. The Cougars dropped game one, 10-0, in five innings before bouncing back with a 4-3 victory in the night cap at Santa Rosa Junior College.
- No. 17 CSUSM Faces Sonoma State in Altered Schedule on RoadThe No. 17 Cal State San Marcos softball team (17-4, 5-3 CCAA) will play an altered schedule this week against Sonoma State (14-13, 4-8 CCAA). The series has been moved to Santa Rosa Junior College with the doubleheaders slated to begin at noon on Thursday and Friday.
- No. 18 CSUSM Records Non-Conference Sweep at BiolaBehind Madison Waymire's and Jillian Albayati's team-leading fourth home runs of the season, the No. 18 Cal State San Marcos softball team (17-4) recorded a doubleheader sweep at Biola (9-9) on Tuesday night at Freedom Field. The Cougars scored three runs in the top of the seventh to take game one 7-5 before completing the sweep with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap.
- No. 14 CSUSM Plays Midweek Doubleheader at Biola on TuesdayThe No. 14 Cal State San Marcos softball team (15-4, 5-3 CCAA) will make up its previously postponed doubleheader at Biola (9-7, 3-1 PacWest) this week, traveling to La Mirada on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. twinbill.
- No. 14 CSUSM Splits Saturday's Twinbill at SF StateThe No. 14 Cal State San Marcos softball team (14-3, 4-2 CCAA) split Saturday's doubleheader against RV San Francisco State (14-4, 3-1 CCAA) at SFSU Softball Field. The Cougars took game one 7-6 before falling 7-2 in the series finale to the Gators.