Box Scores
vs. Dominican
vs. San Francisco State

TURLOCK — The Cal State Stanislaus softball team split a pair of one-run games on the final day of the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational as the Warriors wrapped up the tournament on Sunday.

Brittani Weatherford made another solid start in the circle and went 2-for-2 in a 5-4 win against Dominican in an afternoon game. But the late afternoon affair against San Francisco State had its dramatic moments before the Gators edged the Warriors, 6-5.

Weatherford pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Penguins of Dominican to earn her second win of the year. She gave up four runs on eight hits and struck out five in the outing before being relieved by Kiley Mendez. Mendez picked up a save by pitching hitless ball for the final five outs.

Offensively, Weatherford was in the middle of a two-run rally in the third that set the table for Stanislaus. Brittany Balanesi singled to center and Weatherford beat out a bunt to get two runners on without an out. Two outs and a walk later, Vanessa Del Toro came up with the big hit with a two-run RBI single up the middle.

The Warriors (3-4) would lead 5-1 by scoring three times in the fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run single to center by Kaitlin Goulart. But Stanislaus had to hold-off a Dominican rally in the bottom of the sixth. Dominican scored three times on two hits with three batters hit by pitches to cut the CSUS lead down to one. Mendez came in to get a fielder choice and a fly out to end the rally.

In the second game, with San Francisco State leading 5-2 in the top of the seventh (the Warriors were again the visitors in this game), the drama unfolded with two outs.

SF State's Ali Garcia got two quick comebackers to start the innings, but with two outs, pinch-hitter Goulart drew a walk. Weatherford then found the right-center gap and wheeled around the bases for a triple, scoring pinch runner Laura Ginns.

Then leadoff batter Rachel Borges also used her speed. The junior transfer from Delta College lined a shot to right past a diving rightfielder. With the ball rolling all the way to the fence, Borges raced around the diamond and slid around a tag at home for an inside-the-park home run to tie the game.

However, the ball didn't leave the infield in the bottom of the seventh for SF State to win. After Brittany Barcellos reached on an error to start the inning, Heather Jensen placed a bunt in front of home plate and beat out the throw at first. The Warriors unsuccessfuly attempted to gun down Barcellos going for third and tried to get Jensen going to second only to find Barcellos stealing home for the win.

Weatherford, who was named to the All-Tournament team, went 2-for-3 against the Gators for a 4-for-5 day. She has gone 6-for-her last eight official at-bats and is batting .444 with a .778 slugging percentage after seven games.

The Warriors have little time to regroup tonight as they will depart for Hilo, Hawaii early Monday for a six-game visit. They will face BYU Hawaii on Tuesday in Hilo before taking on Hawaii Hilo for a pair of doubleheaders Thursday and Friday.