Rohnert Park, CA -- The suddenly red-hot Toros find themselves peaking at the right time after taking their second double-header sweep over Sonoma State in as many days in 4-2 and 8-2 victories this morning, taking a four-game win streak and a 28-23 CCAA mark into the NCAA Regionals, set to begin May 8 at a location to be determined. With the wins, CSUDH should cement its hold on the No. 5 spot or move up to No. 4, depending on the outcome of the CCAA Tournament next week at Humboldt State.
The Toros wasted little time in getting on the board in the opener as Jennifer Frazier laced an RBI double in the 1st inning, which was followed by a monstrous Katie Garcia (pictured) blast, her first home run of the year for a quick 3-0 lead.
CSUDH added another run in the 4th on a Jessica Marlow RBI single, before the hosts mounted a charge of their own. Tallying just four hits off Toro starter Regina Farfan though six innings, Sonoma State used two singles and a walk to load the bases and knock Farfan from the game, before Seawolf Brittany Williams welcomed Toro reliever Kaci Carroll with a 2RBI single to spoil the shutout.
Carroll, however, would benefit from her stellar defense as a single two batters later resulted in left-fielder Marlow gunning out Brittany Simao at home plate for the game's final out.
In the nightcap, the Seawolves got on the board first with a run in the 1st, but the Toros answered with four in the 2nd to take the lead for good. In the frame, an RBI single from Toro starter Kristin Tanaka started the run-fest, which was followed by a Khryssi Steele RBI single, a wild pitch and Jodi Nakawatase RBI single to close the scoring.
The Toros enjoyed the four-run outburst so much, they duplicated it four innings later, using an SSU error to plate two, and a Nakawatase sacrifice fly and Liz Vazquez RBI single for runs seven and eight.
Sonoma State then used two Toro errors in its 6th-inning at-bat to plate a run, but it was too little too late as CSUDH coasted to the 8-2 win.
Marlow wielded the big bat with a 4-for-6 afternoon, with Garcia and Nakawatase each driving home two runs in the sweep. Farfan improved to 15-9 in the opening game win with Carroll earning her second save, while Tanaka picked up win number nine (9-5) in the nightcap.
The Toros, who at 17-15 CCAA missed the fourth and final spot in the CCAA Tournament by percentage points, will now get over a week's worth of rest before it finds out its official seed, opponent and travel destination for the 2008 NCAA Softball West Regional.
