CHICO — Timely hitting was the key for the Cal State Stanislaus softball team on Saturday as the Warriors complete the sweep with two wins, 5-4 and 5-2, over Chico State at University Field.
The Warriors win four straight for the first time this season and improved to 9-13 overall and 6-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association after sweeping both doubleheaders in Chico this weekend. Chico State drops to 9-15 overall and 4-10 in conference play.
Trailing 5-4 entering the final inning of the opener on Saturday, the Warriors got the timely hitting they needed with the game on the line. With two outs,
Casey Stephenson belted a solo home run -- her third on the year -- to left field to even the score.
Alyssa Guzman then drew a walk ahead of Jen Arnold, who then slapped a double to left centerfield for the go-ahead run.
Stanislaus starter
Jessica Gaumnitz then got out of a bases loaded jam in the home half of the seventh to secure the victory. The junior starter scattered 10 hits -- her highest total of the year -- and allowed four runs in the complete game win to improve to 5-4.
The heart of the Warriors' lineup --
Meghan Franksen, Stephenson, Guzman, and Arnold -- each had two hits and went a combined 8-for-14 with four RBIs to lead the offense in game one.
Chico State took a 3-0 lead in the second with a two-out rally that was capped by a Gwen Cox two-run double. The Wildcats would lead 4-2 after four innings, but CSUS got a run back in the fifth when a Guzman double scored Stephenson.
In the nightcap, Chico State again scattered 10 hits, but managed to score twice while leaving 10 runners on base. Arnold picked up her second straight win by going the distance.
The Warriors used four hits to score three runs in the second inning of game two.
Kimiko Wright drove in two runs after
Jessica Scholl singled in Stephenson, who again went 2-for-3. Stephenson capped the day 4-for-7. Franksen also had two hits in the nightcap to extend her hitting streak to eight games.