SAN MARCOS, Calif. — On a historic Friday afternoon at the CSUSM Softball Field, No. 13 Cal State East Bay secured the 2025 CCAA Regular Season Championship with a 5-2 victory in game one against No. 25 Cal State San Marcos. The win guaranteed the Pioneers the No. 1 seed in next week's CCAA Tournament and their first-ever CCAA regular-season title. East Bay capped the day with a hard-fought 2-1 loss in nine innings in the second game, but the opening triumph ensured their place in program history.
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GAME SUMMARIES |
Game One: Cal State East Bay 5, Cal State San Marcos 2
Cal State San Marcos took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an error that allowed a run to score after a stolen base by Madison Waymire.
The Cougars extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth on a solo home run by Gianna Lombardi, but Cal State East Bay responded immediately. In the fifth.
Annelise Garcia ignited the rally with a leadoff double, later scoring on a Cynthia Carrillo RBI single. After Ashley Reyes entered as a pinch runner and eventually reached third, Marissa Farias drove in the tying run. Then two more walks, and Evyn Morriss' bases-loaded walk gave the Pioneers a 3-2 lead.
Garcia sparked another scoring opportunity in the sixth with a triple, her fifth of the season to tie for second in the CCAA, and Alexa Zumstein followed with an RBI single. The Pioneers added an insurance run in the seventh when Garcia's sacrifice fly plated Ysabella Cortez for a 5-2 lead.
The historic final out in the bottom of the seventh was a groundout handled by Ashlee Toy who tossed to Farias as the Pioneers celebrated victoriously.
Game Two: Cal State San Marcos 2, Cal State East Bay 1 (9 innings)
In a pitchers' duel that stretched into extra innings, East Bay's Marissa Quintero carried a scoreless streak into the sixth inning, reaching 27 consecutive innings without allowing a run. San Marcos finally broke through on an RBI single by Lombardi to take a 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers answered in the top of the seventh when Zumstein crushed her fourth home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1.
Both teams had chances but could not score in the eighth. In the ninth, Cal State San Marcos walked off with the win after a leadoff single and an RBI double from Paige Donnelly brought home the winning run.
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NOTABLE STATS |
- Ashlee Toy pitched a complete game in the opener, scattering six hits and allowing just one earned run while striking out four. She has 97 strikeouts this season, second most in the CCAA.
- Annelise Garcia went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, stolen base, and sacrifice fly in Game One
- Marissa Quintero: Extended her scoreless innings streak to 27 before it ended in Game Two. Quintero pitched seven strong innings with one run allowed and five strikeouts. She has a 1.22 earned run average to lead the CCAA among qualified pitchers.
- In the second game, Zumstein hit her fourth home run of the season and sixth of her career.
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RECORDS |
No. 13 Cal State East Bay: 36-11, 24-10 CCAA
No. 25 Cal State San Marcos: 35-16, 21-13 CCAA
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
The Pioneers and Cougars will conclude their regular seasons with a CCAA doubleheader on Saturday, April 26. First pitch for Game One is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by Game Two at 1 p.m. at CSUSM Softball Field in San Marcos, California.
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