TURLOCK — It took over a month, but the Stanislaus State softball team complete the season series sweep over Cal State East Bay Wednesday night with 4-0 and 4-2 wins.
Kylie Ragsdale threw a three-hit complete game in the first game, then came in to hold off the Pioneers in the nightcap to earn two wins in the circle to lead the Warriors. Stan State improved to 23-22 overall and 15-17 in the CCAA. The 23-win season is the team's most since the 2009 team won 35 games en route to a NCAA Super Regional appearance.
The two victories finally warp-up the four-game series that started way back on March 11. But the March 11 twinbill was postponed due to rain until tonight. The Warriors and the Pioneers did play on March 12 with Stan State winning 6-4 and 6-3.
On a warm-turned-cold Wednesday the Warriors used two-run innings four times in the doubleheader for the wins. In game one, a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings was all Ragsdale needed to out-duel East Bay starter Sierra Clark. A wild pitch and an fielding error led to the first two runs, then four free bases via walks and hit-batter ahead of a
Alexus Martinez RBI single plated two more runs in the fourth.
In the nightcap,
Morgan Balestreri and Martinez singled in runs in the fourth to make it 2-1. Then, the Warriors added two insurance runs in the sixth on RBI singles by
Nicolette Vizcaino and
Katelyn McDonald.
As it turned out, the Warriors needed the insurance runs as the Pioneers (14-24, 9-17 CCAA) rallied in the top of the seventh. Already with a run in due to an error, CSUEB got two runners in scoring position with just one out. However, Ragsdale got a fly out and an infield pop-up to end the game.
Martinez went 2-for-4 in each game on Wednesday for a four-hit day., McDonald, who was 3-for-4 in the nightcap, also had a four-hit night.
Cassidy Duke went 2-for-3 and scored twice in game two as well.
Stanislaus State finishes the regular season home schedule this weekend with a four-game set against Sonoma State. Friday's series opener begins at 4 p.m.
