Friday, February 27
Phoenix, AZ
9:30 AM
California Baptist University
vs
CSU Bakersfield
Photo by: Matt Horrocks
SB Preview: Red-Hot Lancers Head to Arizona for the ASU/GCU Invitational
2/26/2026 2:24:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX, AZ --- California Baptist is Arizona-bound today, as their next test awaits them in Arizona at the ASU/GCU Invitational. Competing four times, against three teams, across two days and two cities, the Lancers look to stack wins onto their program-best win streak and keep the momentum rolling.
The Lancers enter the weekend 14-3, the best start to a season in CBU's Division I history. Eleven of those 14 wins have come in consecutive order, establishing a program-best win streak at the DI level.
CBU extended the win streak on Tuesday with a 12-3 win over San Diego in a midweek matchup at John C. Funk Stadium. Malachy Russell-Millen finished a single shy of the cycle as she went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and a home run. Annika Hollingsworth improved her record to 3-0 this season after allowing one earned run across five innings.
Pitching has been a highlight for CBU. Hollingsworth had the most noteworthy outing, a perfect game last week against Hawaii. CBU has also owned WAC Pitcher of the Week three weeks in a row, starting with Miranda De Nava, who won the first two awards of the season. Emily Darwin is the reigning pitcher of the week after finishing 3-0 with a save at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic last weekend.
But it's not just pitching that is excelling; the bats are also hot. The Lancers are outscoring opponents 84-29 during their win streak and have ended five of the 11 wins before the seventh inning.
Freshman Kenzie Farrier-Pilon is leading the CBU offense through 17 games as she bolsters a .434 average with 18 runs scored, eight RBI, and a home run. Matti Severns has set the table with 16 runs scored out of the leadoff spot, doing so by setting herself in scoring position with a team-leading 11 stolen bases. The Lancers have six qualified hitters (2 PA/G and 75% of games played) batting over .300 through 17 contests.
The Lancers will play four times this weekend, starting with CSU Bakersfield on Friday. CBU will play Bakersfield twice, the first in Phoenix on the campus of Grand Canyon and the second on Saturday in Tempe at Arizona State. CBU has two wins over Bakersfield this year by a combined score of 19-1, with both games ending after five innings.
Next will be a Friday meeting with the Wisconsin Badgers, CBU's second look at the Big Ten this season. CBU also squared off with Purdue earlier at the UNLV Leadoff Classic. The Badgers are 11-3 entering the weekend and showcase the best ERA of CBU's three opponents, coming in with a 2.77 mark through four games.
CBU's final test comes on Saturday night when the Lancers play Arizona State under the Tempe lights. The Sun Devils are 13-3 entering the weekend and are hitting .331 as a team. This will be a homecoming of sorts for the CBU coaching staff. Head coach Brandon Telesco is an ASU alum, and Director of Operations Sashel Palacios played four seasons for the Sun Devils before joining the ASU coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
Saturday's game against ASU will be the only game live-streamed this weekend, airing on ESPN+.
After the ASU/GCU Invitational, CBU will return to Funk Stadium on Tuesday, March 3, for a midweek meeting with LMU. Tuesday's game, the second meeting with LMU this season, is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Lancers enter the weekend 14-3, the best start to a season in CBU's Division I history. Eleven of those 14 wins have come in consecutive order, establishing a program-best win streak at the DI level.
CBU extended the win streak on Tuesday with a 12-3 win over San Diego in a midweek matchup at John C. Funk Stadium. Malachy Russell-Millen finished a single shy of the cycle as she went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and a home run. Annika Hollingsworth improved her record to 3-0 this season after allowing one earned run across five innings.
Pitching has been a highlight for CBU. Hollingsworth had the most noteworthy outing, a perfect game last week against Hawaii. CBU has also owned WAC Pitcher of the Week three weeks in a row, starting with Miranda De Nava, who won the first two awards of the season. Emily Darwin is the reigning pitcher of the week after finishing 3-0 with a save at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic last weekend.
But it's not just pitching that is excelling; the bats are also hot. The Lancers are outscoring opponents 84-29 during their win streak and have ended five of the 11 wins before the seventh inning.
Freshman Kenzie Farrier-Pilon is leading the CBU offense through 17 games as she bolsters a .434 average with 18 runs scored, eight RBI, and a home run. Matti Severns has set the table with 16 runs scored out of the leadoff spot, doing so by setting herself in scoring position with a team-leading 11 stolen bases. The Lancers have six qualified hitters (2 PA/G and 75% of games played) batting over .300 through 17 contests.
The Lancers will play four times this weekend, starting with CSU Bakersfield on Friday. CBU will play Bakersfield twice, the first in Phoenix on the campus of Grand Canyon and the second on Saturday in Tempe at Arizona State. CBU has two wins over Bakersfield this year by a combined score of 19-1, with both games ending after five innings.
Next will be a Friday meeting with the Wisconsin Badgers, CBU's second look at the Big Ten this season. CBU also squared off with Purdue earlier at the UNLV Leadoff Classic. The Badgers are 11-3 entering the weekend and showcase the best ERA of CBU's three opponents, coming in with a 2.77 mark through four games.
CBU's final test comes on Saturday night when the Lancers play Arizona State under the Tempe lights. The Sun Devils are 13-3 entering the weekend and are hitting .331 as a team. This will be a homecoming of sorts for the CBU coaching staff. Head coach Brandon Telesco is an ASU alum, and Director of Operations Sashel Palacios played four seasons for the Sun Devils before joining the ASU coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
Saturday's game against ASU will be the only game live-streamed this weekend, airing on ESPN+.
After the ASU/GCU Invitational, CBU will return to Funk Stadium on Tuesday, March 3, for a midweek meeting with LMU. Tuesday's game, the second meeting with LMU this season, is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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