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'Cats drop both ends of doubleheader to San Francisco State
Sam Quadt delivered two hits for the 'Cats in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against San Francisco State.
4/17/2009 7:22:54 PM
CHICO, Calif. – Ashley Jackson has far and away been San Francisco State’s most consistent pitcher this season, and Friday at University Softball Field the Gators’ righthander broke Chico State’s hearts not once, but twice – Jackson tossing a two-hitter to beat the Wildcats 8-0 in the first game of a doubleheader, then coming on in relief to snuff out a ’Cats rally and preserve a 2-0 win in the nightcap.
Chico State, with only one home win going into Friday’s double dip, had trouble generating any type of offense against Jackson in the first game –the only notches in the “H” column for the ’Cats came on singles by Bec Johnson and Christina Wieck. Gwen Cox, closing in on Chico State’s all-time single season stolen base record, created some excitement in the Wildcats first inning by stealing second and third (giving her 24 on the year), but that was as close at the ’Cats came to plating a run against Jackson. The Gators took a 2-0 lead in the third on a run-scoring double by Danielle Chapman and an RBI single by Karolyn Gubbine, then used the long ball to put Chico State away – in the fourth inning, Arianna Welch crushed a grand slam over the center field fence off Jessica McDermott to make it a 6-0 game…then in the fifth Lea Cardenas connected for a two-run homer off Lauren Walker to extend the Gators lead to 8-0. Jackson retired the Wildcats in order in the fifth to record the complete game shutout and improve to 14-7 on the season; McDermott took the loss for Chico State, falling to 8-18 on the year.
Game two was a much closer contest, and the Wildcats had plenty of scoring opportunities, but ended up leaving 10 runners on base. San Francisco State scored what turned out to be the only runs of the ballgame in the top of the first inning as Alyssa Esquibel knocked in a pair with a two-out bloop single down the left field line. Chico State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, but Gators pitcher Vanessa Truan was able to wiggle out of the jam and keep the ’Cats off the scoreboard; in the third Jenna Wermes walked and Bec Johnson doubled to put the tying runs in scoring position with one away, but Truan struck out Wieck and Rachel Failla to end the threat. While Walker kept San Francisco State from widening it lead, the Wildcats made one last attempt to climb back into the contest, putting two aboard with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. Jackson was then brought in to take over for Truan on the mound, and with the potential tying run on base, she fanned Cox and Kait Manning, then got Wermes to ground out to second to end it and give the Gators the 2-0 win and the doubleheader sweep. Truan (5-5) picked up the victory, with Jackson earning her first save of the season…Walker (8-16) went the distance but was the hard-luck loser for Chico State. Sam Quadt had two of the Wildcats’ four hits in the game.
Chico State, which has now dropped five in a row, falls to 17-34 on the season and 5-25 in the CCAA. San Francisco State improved to 26-19 with the doubleheader sweep and 8-14 in conference play.
The ’Cats and Gators meet up again Saturday for another doubleheader to wrap up the four-game set. Game one is scheduled to begin at noon. It is also Senior Day, with lone Wildcats senior Gwen Cox honored before the ballgame. Several former Chico State softball players will be on hand and will be recognized during special pre-game ceremonies.
BOX SCORE - Game One
BOX SCORE - Game Two
Softball vs Sonoma State (DH)
3.20.10 | 12:00 p.m.
Softball vs Chaminade
3.26.10 | 9:00 a.m.
Softball vs Dixie State
3.26.10 | 11:15 a.m.
Softball vs Grand Canyon
3.27.10 | 9:00 a.m.
Softball vs Western Washington
3.27.10 | 11:15 a.m.
Softball vs Hawaii Hilo
3.27.10 | 4:15 p.m.
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Wildcats of the Week
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Women's Basketball
Before the 2009-10 even got underway, Chico State women’s basketball Head Coach Brian Fogel described junior guard Natasha Smith as “the key to our success.” Truer words have never spoken, as Smith has turned her already impressive game up a notch to lead the Wildcats to the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional title game. Her efforts have netted the Sacramento native her third Wildcat of the Week honor this season.
Smith earned All-NCAA Championship Tournament West Region Team honors by averaging 14 points, 7.7 assists, five rebounds, and three steals per game during the Wildcats’ run to the Sweet 16 and West Region title game.
Friday against third seeded Western Washington, Smith scored 15 points, snared four rebounds, dished out five assists and made three steals as the Wildcats downed the Vikings 79-68. Saturday versus Humboldt State, the All-CCAA first team selection was even better, posting her second career double-double with 15 points and 10 assists, while hauling in a team-high eight rebounds and five steals in Chico State’s come-from-behind 86-76 victory over the Lumberjacks. Monday, in the regional title game against Seattle Pacific, Smith finished with 12 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and a steal while drawing the defensive assignment against Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Daesha Henderson and limiting her to just five points on 1-of-10 shooting.
Smith, who led the CCAA in free throw percentage (.824) and assists (134), also led the ’Cats in scoring (11.5 points per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44). She continues to move up the Chico State career records ladder with each contest. With one year of eligibility still remaining, Smith ranks ninth all-time in scoring, sixth in assists, seventh in free throws and 10th in career steals and 3-pointers.
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Baseball
Chico State right fielder Adam Arakawa continued his torrid start to 2010 with four more multi-hit games, finishing 9-for-15, to lead the Wildcats to a series split a four-game series at Cal State San Bernardino over the weekend. The CCAA Player of the Week one week ago, he's been dubbed the Wildcat of the Week this week.
Arakawa doubled twice, scored six times, drove in three runs, and walked three times against San Bernardino. He also recorded the 100th hit of his career and has now registered two or more hits in eight straight games and 12 of the last 13 to raise his average to .493. He is hitting .633 over his past eight games and .571 over his last 13.
In Friday’s 8-5 victory, Arakawa went 2-for-5 and scored a run. He also singled in the 10th as the Wildcats scored three runs to win. He went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored as the Wildcats dropped first game of a doubleheader Saturday. In the second game, Arakawa went 3-for-3 with a walk, double, run and two RBI. His third hit of that game was the 100th of his Chico State career. Arakawa finished the weekend by going 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI in Chico State’s 20-5 win.
Arakawa leads the Wildcats in batting average (.493) hits (37), runs (33) walks (17) total bases (59), slugging percentage (.787) and on-base percentage (.581). His batting average and slugging percentage are both tops in the CCAA.
Arakawa was the West Region Gold Glove recipient last season and an Honorable Mention All-American, and has not committed an error in 44 chances this season.
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3.19.10 | Softball
CHICO – The Chico State softball team stumbled Friday in the doubleheader opener of its four game series with California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) leader Sonoma State, letting a four-run lead slip away in the first game to fall 7-5, then managing just three hits in the nightcap as the visiting Seawolves posted a 4-0 victory in afternoon action at University Softball Field.
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3.18.10 | Softball
CHICO – The Chico State softball team has made great strides this season in revitalizing a program that has struggled the past few years – nearly halfway into the 2010 campaign, the Wildcats are two games above .500 overall and more than holding their own against California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opponents. This weekend should serve as a true test of exactly how far the ’Cats have progressed, as Chico State hosts conference leader Sonoma State in doubleheader action Friday and Saturday at University Softball Field.
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3.15.10 | Softball
ARCATA – Three scoops of ice cream, fresh ripe bananas, chocolate syrup, chopped nuts, caramel, fudge, and strawberry toppings and a cherry on top. Before Monday, no split sounded better to the Chico State softball team than the banana variety. Then the Wildcats won one of two at Humboldt State to take two of four in the series against the Lumberjacks, who have been the bullies of the West with 17 straight trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament. Now that was sweet.
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3.14.10 | Softball
ARCATA – Chico State true freshman pitcher Kacie McCarthy is soaking it all in during her first collegiate season. Point in fact – she watched Humboldt State starter Gracie Perez fire a no-hitter in the Lumberjacks’ 4-0 victory in Sunday’s first game and then went out and twirled a complete-game two-hitter as the Wildcats won the nightcap 1-0. McCarthy allowed only leadoff singles in the fourth and sixth, walked three, and struck out five while improving to 5-6 on the season.
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3.10.10 | Softball
CHICO – With just a pair of non-conference games over the past couple of weeks, the Chico State softball team is itching to get back between the chalk lines. The Wildcats will definitely get their wish and then some, playing a minimum of 13 games scheduled over the next 15 days, including a four-game series this Sunday and Monday in Arcata against California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) rival Humboldt State.
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3.5.10 | Softball
CHICO – Since joining the Chico State softball team a little over a year ago, Jessica McDermott has been the Wildcats’ original hard luck pitcher. In 2009, the sophomore from San Diego lost eight games in which she gave up just two runs or less…and this season she’s already experienced her share of ups and downs. But Friday at University Softball Field, McDermott was not to be denied, twirling a four-hit shutout and striking out a career-high 10 batters – including the final three to end the game – to give the Wildcats a 1-0 victory over Oregon Tech and salvaging a split of their doubleheader with the Hustlin’ Owls. Earlier in the day, Oregon Tech bested the ’Cats by a final of 7-2.
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3.4.10 | Softball
CHICO – Some say momentum is overrated; a cliché sports term that downplays what actually makes a team a winner. But one thing that can’t be debated is that the Chico State softball team is currently riding a three game winning streak, highlighted by an exciting 11-inning, 3-2 series-ending victory last Sunday against Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Wildcats look to build on the momentum built up in the Toros series this Friday with a non-conference doubleheader against Oregon Tech. The first game of the twinbill is scheduled to start at noon at University Softball Field.
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