SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 14 Cal State San Marcos softball team (10-1) will begin CCAA play this week at CSUSM Softball Field, hosting Stanislaus State in a four-game series beginning with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Friday before concluding the series with an 11 a.m. twinbill on Saturday. 

RECENT GAME UPDATES

• The Cougars saw their doubleheader at Biola postponed due to field conditions with the most recent rainfall in La Mirada last Saturday. 
• CSUSM went 4-0 the previous weekend with a doubleheader sweep over Azusa Pacific (4-1, 2-1) and repeated it the next day against Vanguard (6-2, 7-6). 
•  Last weekend, Jillian Albayati led the Cougars with a .643 batting average (9-for-14) while recording two home runs, five RBI, four runs, 16 assists and four put outs. Savannah Coyle went 2-0, allowing only two runs on eight hits and striking out six in 10 innings in the circle.                                                               

COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• With eleven games in the books, CSUSM ranks second in the CCAA with a .379 batting average and ranks seventh in the nation among teams with 10 or more games played. 
• As the reigning Division II leader in double plays, the Cougars have tallied four this season which ranks fifth in the CCAA and 28th in the nation. 
• CSUSM also leads the CCAA in doubles per game (1.91), hits (113), fielding percentage (.979), scoring (6.45), RBIs per game (5.27) and slugging percentage (.530). 
• CSUSM has the top three spots in the conference in batting average with Jillian Albayati leading the way at .563, followed by Savannah Coyle with a .542 avg. and Paige Donnelly with a .500 avg. 
• Donnelly is the CCAA leader with a 1.09 runs batted in per game average while her five doubles rank second in the conference (18th in Division II). 
• Three Cougars rank in the top four spots in the CCAA in on-base percentage with Albayati on top at .576, followed in second with Savannah Coyle's .560 while Donnelly sits in fourth with a .538. 
• Coyle has tallied two saves this season, ranking her first in the CCAA and fourth in the nation.

CCAA OPENING WEEKEND AGAINST STAN STATE

• CSUSM has won the last 10 of 12 games against Stanislaus State, including two mercy-ruled victories.
• In those 12 games, the Cougars outscored the Warriors 60-29 with four shutout games. 
• Stan State began the season with a 3-3 record with a split over Jessup (1-0, 3-9) and sweep against Academy of Art (5-2, 6-0) on Feb. 3 before being swept by Dominican (1-2, 4-5) on Feb. 7. 
• Last weekend, Stan State hosted the Tournament of Champions but was only able to get two games in due to weather. The Warriors fell 7-6 to Central Washington and 6-1 to Simon Fraser on Sunday. 
• Stan State has tallied two shutouts this season, ranking third in the CCAA. 
• The Warriors rank last in the CCAA in slugging percentage (.338), stolen bases (.25), total runs (27) and RBIs per game (3.25). 
• Stan State's ace Victoria Alarcon has tallied 25 strikeouts, ranking third in the CCAA, in 27 innings and has a 2-2 record with a 1.81 ERA. 
• Katie Thornsberry is leading the Warriors offensively with a .435 batting average, 10 hits and seven runs. 
• The Warriors were picked to finish ninth in the 2025 CCAA Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. 

2025 OUTLOOK

• CSUSM was picked to finish first in the 2025 CCAA Preseason Softball Coaches Poll. 
• The Cougars' roster of 26 consists of 17 returners, one transfer and eight freshman. 
• Athletically, the Cougars are made up of four redshirt seniors, six seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and eight freshman. 
• The Cougars' 53-game schedule includes 28 home contests and 25 road games.

THE ROBINSON FILE

• Head Coach A.J. Robinson was promoted to the top spot on July 31, 2024. 
• As the program's assistant coach from 2022-24, Robinson helped guide CSUSM to three NCAA Division II West Regional appearances, an NCAA National Championship appearance, a West Regional Championship, a CCAA Regular-Season Championship and a CCAA Tournament Championship.
• For the 2021 season, Robinson was a volunteer assistant coach at San Diego State and helped the Aztecs to an overall record of 28-16.
• Robinson's first stint at CSUSM was as a volunteer assistant coach from 2018-20 where he was named CSUSM Athletics' Volunteer Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020.
• Robinson was the founder and president of The Factory Softball Club in San Diego until 2024. In 2018 and 2019, he and his coaching staff earned West Region Travel Ball Coaching Staff of the Year honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).