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.