SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In what was an extremely entertaining afternoon of softball, Saint Mary's (18-10) split a pair of decisions with Sacramento State (19-11), winning the first 3-2 before dropping the second 5-3. The Gaels rallied from early deficits in both games, taking the lead 3-2 in both sides of the doubleheader. The lead would stick in game one, but the Hornets would muster up a late rally in the second game, winning it 5-3.
GAME ONE: SMC 3 - Sac State 2
Saint Mary's worked out of an early pair of deficits created by defensive miscues to earn the opportunity to win this ball game late. The Gaels found themselves in an early 1-0 deficit through one, but Tori Cervantes led off the second inning with a walk, stole second and came around to score on a two strike single back up the middle of the bat of Alex Cutonilli. Cutonilli's RBI total has risen steadily over the last two weeks, and now is tied for third best amongst the Gaels at 11.
That 1-1 draw would become the Gaels first lead an inning later. Hannah Ferguson led off the inning with a slapper through the left side, and was advanced to second on a Camille Lara groundout. Ferguson stole third, narrowly sliding under a tag by the Hornets third baseman, before Marissa Montelongo hit a squibber over to the first baseman that was slow enough to easily score. Like Cutonilli, Montelongo also now has driven in 11 runs for the season.
The Gaels lead evaporated in the bottom half of the third, however, as a lazy fly ball to shallow right fell when Marissa Montelongo and Victoria Castillo bumped into one another, plating the tying run. If the ball was caught, it would've been the third out of the inning.
The two squads traded scoreless frames in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but in the seventh, it was a Hornets mistake that placed Hannah Ferguson at third following an errant throw on a bunt play with one away. Camille Lara stepped up to the plate and slapped one to the opposite field to left, scoring Ferguson and once again pushing the Gaels ahead. All that was left to do was for Odhi Vasquez to complete her appearance and slam the door shut. She did just that, walking one, but retiring the side to earn the complete game victory.
Hannah Ferguson and Alex Cutonilli each logged two hit ball games. Hannah Ferguson has now surpassed Sam Buckley for the team lead in batting average, hitting at a .427 clip. Ferguson also swiped a pair of bags, part of a six stolen base game for the Gaels. Odhi Vasquez worked her third straight complete game victory, and did not surrender an earned run today. Her ERA is now down to 2.23 for the season, and opponents are hitting just .177 against her.
GAME TWO: Sac State 5 - SMC 3
The Gaels once again were able to claw out of an early hole, taking a 3-2 lead in the latter innings, but this time, the Hornets were able to mount a comeback of their own in sixth, eventually taking the game by a two run margin.
Just like in game one, the Hornets took an early 1-0 lead in the second, forcing the Gaels to play catch up. They did so, well, however, responding in the top of the third, when Taylor Lane singled, and was pinch run for by Jocelyn Bryant. Bryant advanced to second on a Gracie Carpenter groundout and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Hannah Ferguson groundout to draw the game even at one apiece. The RBI was Hannah Ferguson's 10th of the season.
Sacramento State once again regained the lead when they strung together three two out hits in the bottom of the third, resulting in a run. After a scoreless fourth from both sides, Taylor Lane once again got things going with a one out walk in the fifth. Lane, this time running for herself, advanced to second on a Jenavee Amador groundout to third, and moved up 60 feet on Hannah Ferguson's single to left. Ferguson stole second, and with two away, the Gaels had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position and Camille Lara at the plate. As she did a game ago, Lara once again provided a go-ahead hit, smacking a ball through the left side to score both Lane and Ferguson to give the Gaels a 3-2 lead.
Through five innings of work, Mia Nishikawa had stranded nine Hornet runners on the basepaths, but the floodgates opened in the sixth when Sacramento State loaded the bases with one away. A sacrifice fly would plate the tying run before a two RBI single would push the Hornets ahead heading to the seventh. Hannah Ferguson worked a walk in the seventh, but never advanced further than first base, as the Hornets evened the doubleheader at a game apiece.
The top five spots in the lineup for the Gaels (Ferguson, Lara, Montelongo, Buckley and Cervantes) accounted for seven of the team's eight hits, including two each from Camille Lara and Tori Cervantes. Lara also drove in two of the Gaels three runs. Mia Nishikawa tied her career-high with five strikeouts in the complete game effort.
UP NEXT
The Gaels will put their perfect home record on the line in a doubleheader against the Idaho State Bengals, who split the 2023 Big Sky Title with Sacramento State. First pitch of game one is set for 1 PM, with game two set to start approximately 30 minutes after the culmination of game one.
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