Softball Splits on First Day of SoCal Smash
2/20/08

Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

Cougar softball began competition at the Cal Baptist-hosted SoCal Smash on Thursday, splitting its first pair of games.  CSUSM dispatched of Southern Oregon 8-1 in the morning, before falling 5-0 to the host school in the afternoon.

In game one, the Cougars' offense overpowered Southern Oregon early, allowing the squad to coast to an easy win.  CSUSM tallied seven runs in the first two innings, jumping out to a big lead that was easily protected by pitchers Melissa Lerno, Ashley Salvino, and Chanel Rose.  Lerno picked up the win, pushing her record to 4-0 on the season.

Lerno also came up big at the plate, smacking the team's first home run in the season in the first inning.  The two-run shot to center put the Cougars up 2-0, and a Shanti Poston RBI double later in the inning made it 3-0.

The Cougars blew the game open in the second, adding four more runs.  Mimi Krutein drew a lead-off walk, Leilani Madrigal followed up with a single, and Nicolette Nassif delivered an RBI base hit.  An error allowed the next run to score, and after walks to Erica Coelho and Lerno, Marly Barth and Holly Russell knocked in runs with groundouts. 

With a 7-0 lead, Lerno exited after three innings of scoreless ball.  Southern Oregon scored its lone run, unearned, off Salvino in the fifth.  Kami Williams got that run back for CSUSM in the sixth with an RBI single, and Rose threw two hitless innings of relief to secure the 8-1 win.

Game two would tell a different story, however, as the Cougars faced #2 Cal Baptist.  The CSUSM lineup had no success against CBU ace Amy Thomas, who improved to 7-1 on the season after hurling a 4-hit shutout.  Nassif was the only Cougar who could figure her out, going 2-for-3 on the afternoon.

On the mound for CSUSM, starter Brenna Sandberg did a valiant job limiting the mighty Cal Baptist lineup, but it wouldn't be enough.  Cal Baptist got three in the third inning to take its first lead, then three more insurance runs in the sixth to secure the win. 

Cal State San Marcos is now 8-5 on the season, and will play four more games at the SoCal Smash in the next two days.