SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos softball team (6-1) will host two non-conference doubleheaders this weekend. Due to field conditions, the doubleheader originally scheduled on Saturday in Azusa against Azusa Pacific (3-4) has been moved to CSUSM Softball Field for a noon doubleheader. On Sunday, CSUSM will welcome Vanguard (1-4) in an 11 a.m. twinbill at CSUSM Softball Field. 

OPENING WEEKEND

• The Cougars were crowned the Concordia University Irvine Kickoff Classic Champion after going 5-0 with a +25 run differential. 
• CSUSM opened the season with a 5-3 victory against Chaminade last Friday morning before registering an 11-8 win over Hawaii Hilo later that evening. 
• On Saturday, the Cougars pulled off a 5-2 upset against No. 18 Northwest Nazarene, followed by an 11-2 mercy-ruled win over Western Oregon. 
• The Cougars wrapped up the CUI Kickoff Classic with a 9-1 victory against Colorado Christian on Saturday. 
• The following day, the Cougars hosted Hawaii Pacific in their home opener. CSUSM dropped a 2-1 decision before bouncing back with a 10-1 mercy-ruled win to earn the doubleheader split. 
• Savannah Coyle and Paige Donnelly were named CUI Kickoff Classic Co-MVPs and were joined on the all-tournament team by Jillian Albayati.

COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• With seven games in the books, CSUSM leads the nation with 19 doubles while ranking second with 79 hits. 
• As the reigning Division II leader in double plays, the Cougars have tallied three this season which ranks third in the CCAA and 14th in the nation. 
• The Cougars are boasting a .405 batting average which ranks eighth in the nation but first among teams with seven or more games played. 
• CSUSM also lead the CCAA in doubles per game (2.71), on base percentage (.462), scoring (7.43) and slugging percentage (.564). 
• Four Cougars rank in the top six in batting average in the CCAA with Savannah Coyle leading the way at .600, followed by Paige Donnelly (.565) in second, Mackenzie Kestler (.526) in fifth and Jillian Albayati (.500) in sixth. 
• Donnelly's five doubles rank third in Division II while her 13 hits rank fourth.
• Coyle's .625 on-base percentage ranks first in the CCAA. 
• Albayati's two triples rank fourth in the nation and are tied for first in the CAA with Sonoma State's Amari Houston.  

SATURDAY VS. APU

• APU was slated to have a six-game homestand but that was quickly changed due to weather. 
• Azusa Pacific split its home opener doubleheader on Monday with Colorado State Pueblo, falling in the first game 7-5 before recording a 1-0 eight-inning victory. 
• On Thursday, APU fell 4-3 in a six-game rain-shortened game against Northwest Nazarene before the nightcap was canceled. 
• At the CUI Kickoff Classic last weekend, APU went 2-2 with two losses on Friday against Colorado Christian (11-2) and Chico State (3-2) before rebounding with a pair of wins over No. 2 Western Washington (4-3) and Cal State Monterey Bay (12-4). 
• Caitlin DeCanio has crushed three home runs in the first seven games for APU, ranking her second in the nation behind Augustana's Desi Cuevas. 
• APU has a 3.17 ERA and a .295 batting average in the first seven games. 
• CSUSM is leading the all-time series at 19-13, dating back to 2007 when both teams were NAIA schools. In the NCAA Division II era (2015-present), CSUSM is 9-7 against APU. 

SUNDAY AGAINST VANGUARD

• Vanguard is in its second year of transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II. 
• The Lions are facing Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday before taking on the Cougars on Sunday. 
• VU went 1-4 at the CUI Kickoff Classic last weekend. 
• The Lions opened the season with losses to Cal State East Bay (2-0) and Cal San Bernardino (6-1) on Friday. They then split Saturday's games, falling to Fort Lewis before pulling off an upset against No. 2 Western Washington (8-0, 6 inn.). VU ended the tournament with an 8-7 loss to San Francisco State. 
• Kamryn Walker is leading the Lions with a .471 clip, eight hits, two doubles, a triple and four RBIs. 
• CSUSM holds a 25-14 lead in the all-time series against Vanguard. 
• The Cougars dropped a twinbill to the Lions last season by scores of 5-1 and 5-2.  After that sweep, CSUSM went 9-3 to close out the 2024 regular season. 

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).