TURLOCK — The Stanislaus State softball team came out strong in the circle Friday against a Chico State team that came in averaging more than five runs a game, but the Wildcats were even stronger, only allowing one earned run all night to earn a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader sweep with a 5-0 victory in game one and a 7-4 triumph in game two at Warrior Field.
 
Chico State (32-11, 22-8 CCAA) entered Friday's twin bill in second place in the CCAA and ranked third in the most recent NCAA West Region rankings. None of that deterred Stanislaus State (15-26, 9-21 CCAA), which held the Wildcats scoreless through three innings in the opener, and only allowed one run through four frames in the nightcap.
 
GAME ONE
 
Kyndra Marzorini (5-10) continued her recent streak of complete games, throwing another one on Friday – her seventh in a row. She struck out five and limited Chico State to three earned runs (five total) while only walking one.
 
The Wildcats finally broke through in the top of the fourth after being held scoreless the first time through the batting order. A leadoff walk led to Chico State's first run on an RBI double from Gallagher, who would also come around to score on a throwing error, making it 2-0.
 
Chico State starter Brooke Larsen was lights out in the circle. She shut out the Warriors with her 18th complete game of the season, striking out 11 and only walking one while giving up just three singles. She had at least two strikeouts in each of the first four innings, including striking out the side in the bottom of the second.
 
Back-to-back doubles – the second one another RBI knock off the bat of Gallagher – in the sixth made it 3-0. A leadoff homer by Metzger in the top of the seventh made it 4-0, and three straight singles after an error put Chico State up 5-0.
 
GAME TWO
 
Stanislaus State made a lot more noise in the nightcap and pushed Chico State to its limits.
 
The Warriors tagged Chico State starter Mari Takeda Bajan – who entered the game with a 1.50 ERA – for four runs (one earned). After the Wildcats went ahead, 1-0, in the first, Stanislaus tied it at 1-1 with an RBI double from Lauryn Serda in the bottom of the third.
 
Chico State went ahead for good with five runs on six hits in the top of the fifth, chasing starter Delaney Pamplin (9-9). That included four consecutive two-out knocks, three of which brought in runs.
 
But Stanislaus State wasn't about to go so quietly.
 
The Warriors answered with three runs of their own thanks to RBI hits from Sarah Warden and Madison Flexser. Three errors in the inning by Chico State also helped the Warriors' rally. Stan State had the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate, but Katelyn Oldwin was able to enter and get a groundout to end the inning.
 
Oldwin would go on to earn her first save of the season with 2 1/3 innings of shutout, no-hit relief. She struck out three and walked one, only facing one batter over the minimum.
 
COMING UP
 
Stanislaus State will honor three seniors – Pamplin, Riquel Riveira and Melissa Spencer – in a ceremony on Saturday that will precede a doubleheader to close out the series. The doubleheader is scheduled for 11 a.m., with Senior Day ceremonies slated for 10:45 a.m. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on WarriorAthletics.com.