’Cats earn doubleheader split, series win against UC San Diego

By Rory Miller - Assistant Sports Information Director (rtmiller@csuchico.edu)
Angel Shamblin ties Teri Rupe for most career wins by a Chico State softball coach

LA JOLLA—While Thursday's series-opening doubleheader between No. 5 Chico State and No. 22 UC San Diego was highlighted by the Wildcats' lights-out pitching, Friday's conclusion to the four-game set saw both teams gripping and ripping all afternoon, as the 'Cats' and Tritons' offenses muscled up to produce a combined 27 runs and 43 hits. UC San Diego rolled to a 10-2 victory in the opener of Friday's twin bill, but the Wildcats bounced back to take the nightcap 9-6 and win the series three games to one at Triton Softball Field in La Jolla.   
 
With the doubleheader split, Chico State now stands at 26-3 on the season and 21-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). UC San Diego finishes the four-game set 20-7 overall and 13-7 in conference play.
 
The game two win was an historic one for Wildcats head coach Angel Shamblin. It was her 281st victory since taking over the program in 2010, and that ties Shamblin with Teri Rupe (1995–2005) as the winningest coach in Chico State softball history.
 
The Wildcats generated a total of 20 hits on the day. Megan Bowley collected four hits and drove in three runs, while Cyrena Taylor and Karli Skowrup registered three hits apiece. Four more 'Cats—Ari Marsh, Bailey Akins, Amanda Flores, and Kristin Worley—contributed a pair of safeties, with Akins and Karli Skowrup each launching home runs.

 

Megan Bowley had six hits in the UC San Diego
series, including four hits and three RBI in Friday's
doubleheader split against the Tritons.

In the opener of Friday's double dip, Chico State drew first blood in the top of the third when Marsh delivered a two-out single to plate Bowley. UC San Diego answered with authority in its half of the third, stringing together six one-out singles to take the lead, then knocking Chico State starting pitcher Haley Gilham out of the game with a three-run double. Before the inning was over, two straight RBI singles off Wildcats' reliever Sam Mulock extended the Tritons' advantage to 8-1.
 
The Wildcats got a run back in the top of the fourth inning. Flores and Claire Wayne singled, then Bowley's grounder back to the pitcher's circle was thrown away by the Tritons' Robyn Wampler, allowing Wayne to score. UC San Diego used a bases-loaded wild pitch to plate a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 9-2 contest.
 
The Tritons completed the scoring—and the game—with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, handing the Wildcats a 10-2 defeat. Gilham was charged with the loss to fall to 12-2 on the year.
 
Things started encouragingly for the 'Cats in game two. A one-out single by Skowrup, a walk to Wayne, and a base hit by Flores loaded the bases in the top of the second inning, with walks to Bowley and Worley forced home a pair of runs. UC San Diego came back in its half of the second, using a sacrifice fly, passed ball and RBI single to put up a crooked number and jump in front 3-2.
 
Akins knotted up the score in the top of the third inning with her 10th home run of the year, then in the fourth Chico State went back on top—three straight singles by Bowley, Worley and Wendy Cardinali loaded the bases, and a walk to Taylor forced home Cardinali. Worley came home when Skowrup was hit by a pitch, and another bases-loaded free pass, this time to Wayne, forced home Marsh from third to give the Wildcats a 6-3 lead.
 
In the top of the fifth the 'Cats scored again, as Worley stroked a two-out single, stole second and came home when Marsh singled up the middle. Chico State went up 9-3 in the top of the sixth, as Skowrup led off the inning with her fifth home run of the season, and later in the frame Bowley singled home Angel Lopez.
 
Gilham came on in relief of Wildcats' starting pitcher Naomi Monahan in the fifth, and though a three-run homer by the Tritons' Sherriah Harrington made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, Chico State was able to secure the final outs it needed to lock down the 9-6 victory, earning the doubleheader split and the series win.
 
Monahan went the first four innings to get credit for the win to improve to 11-1 on the season.
 
Chico State takes a break from conference play next week, as the Wildcats take part in the annual Tournament of Champions Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Turlock. The 'Cats will play six games during the three-day event, including Friday contests against Chaminade at 4:30 p.m. and Notre Dame de Namur at 7 p.m.