BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The first day of the 2024 NCAA Division II Softball Championships started at various sites across the nation on Thursday. On the campus of Western Washington University, Cal State East Bay softball played in its first NCAA postseason game as a CCAA member. In five innings by run-rule, the Pioneers lost to Cal State San Marcos, 9-1 at Viking Field. With the loss, CSUEB will play in an elimination game on Friday.
After two scoreless innings,
Cynthia Carrillo hit a double with one out. Then,
Adriana Martinez doubled and drove in Carrillo to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.
A three-run triple for the Cougars by Aneesa Arredondo, followed by a two-run home run by Jillian Albayati, along with a pair of RBI singles accounted for a seven-run bottom of the fourth for CSUSM.
Already leading 7-1, CSUSM tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Paige Donnelly and an RBI single from Arredondo to lead 9-1.
With run-rule potentially in effect, the Pioneers needed to score at least one run in the top of the fifth to prolong the game. To start the inning,
Annelise Garcia reached on an error and got into scoring position on a passed ball with no outs. Later in the inning, Carrillo reached on a walk. However, the final two outs followed as the Cougars won 9-1 in five innings.
- Carrillo and Martinez each had two hits on Thursday.
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POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE |
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
On Friday, the Pioneers return to Viking Field for an elimination game in the NCAA West Regional against Azusa Pacific. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. In the 2024 regular season, the Pioneers and APU split two games with CSUEB winning 6-0 o February 3, and losing 6-1 on March 22.
APU lost 1-0 to Western Washington on a walkoff RBI double in the bottom of the seventh on Thursday to open the West Regional in Bellingham.
