Battling Until the End

Saturday, May 12

Chico, Calif.

11:00 AM

California Baptist University

35-12

Chico State

53-3

Chico State

California Baptist

Photo by: Matthew Bates

5/12/2018 2:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

CHICO, Calif. — After a close, extra-inning battle with No. 2-ranked Chico State the day before, No. 14-ranked California Baptist University had another fight Saturday morning. The Lancers needed to take two off the Wildcats, but came up short with a 7-2 loss.

CBU ends the year with a 35-12 record on the year after its impressive fifth-straight trip to the NCAA postseason, Chico State improves to 53-3 and will face No. 18-ranked Dixie State for a shot at the regional title next week.

Chico State looked to take the first lead of the game in the top of the third, putting a runner on second with one out. The next batter hit a line drive to shallow centerfield, but Soraya Shahbazian hurled in the throw to Cheyann Tucker at home plate, making the tag to keep it 0-0.

In the bottom half of the inning, Tucker led off with a single up the middle and made her way to second on a sneak attack, two-strike sacrifice bunt from Anise Avalos. The Wildcats got the next out, but Caitlyn Lloyd drew a four-ball walk to put two runners on.

The Wildcats ended the two-out rally, however, to keep the scoreless battle going.

CBU broke through in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-0 lead after capitalizing on a couple Wildcat errors. Shahbazian led off with a base hit to left, before Hannah Thieroff laid down a bunt to move her to second. Ali Subia took advantage of the first Chico State error, putting runners on the corners with one out.

Chico State managed to get another out, but Tucker knocked a too-hard-to-handle ball to third to allow Shahbazian to score the first run of the day. Shaye Felix then came in as a pinch hitter and hit a soft ball to first base. The first baseman scooped it up, but Felix beat her to the bag for an RBI single, 2-0.

Things took a turn in the sixth as the Wildcats took a 5-2 lead.

As the designated home team, CBU had two chances to respond. Thieroff led the bottom half of the sixth with a base hit to the gap in right center, but Chico State managed to get the lead runner in the next play.

With two outs and Subia on second, Tucker drew four-straight balls to put the tying run at the plate. Avalos knocked it deep, but it died in center field for the third out.

The Wildcats tacked on some insurance in the top of the seventh, increasing their lead to 7-2.

CBU had one more chance to respond. With one out, Lloyd tried to start a rally with a single up the middle. Chico State shut it down, however, to seal the 7-2 victory.

While not the ending they hoped for, the Lancers leave NCAA Division II with a ton of success and will look to carry it over as they transition to NCAA Division I next year.