Senior second base Rylee McDaniel was up to bat for the Gators in the seventh inning of the first game against the Hawaii Pacific University Sharks. The Gators just tied the game to one run each in that same inning.
Olivia Clavero and Lexi Holihan were on bases and in scoring position. If one of them were to run home, the Gators would take game one.
McDaniel stepped up to the plate and spectators were silent. Sharks pitcher Taylor Thompson threw the ball and McDaniel made the right hit at the right time.
McDaniel hit a homer that would allow her, Clavero and Holihan to run to home plate and clinched the first game 4-1 as fans cheered.
“I knew she was going to throw me inside,” McDaniel said. “I just got off the plate a little bit, and then I got my hands through.”
San Francisco State University’s softball team’s late-game heroics in game one against the Sharks resulted in a doubleheader series sweep on March 19. The no. 20 nationally ranked no. SFSU Gators are now 23-7.
Gators senior pitcher Nia Trinidad’s strong performance kept the Gators in the game. Trinidad pitched all seven innings and struck out seven batters.
At the top of the fifth inning when the Sharks had two runners in scoring positions with zero outs on the board, Trinidad’s confidence in herself and her defense allowed the Gators to exit the inning fairly unharmed, allowing only a single run.
“I’m not a strikeout pitcher,” Trinidad said. “I’m a pitch-to-contact pitcher, and I knew my defense would have my back. And I would pick them up whenever I needed to.”
The second game started similarly to the first, with the Sharks striking first.
The Gators were down 4-0 early in the second game. In response, head coach Alicia Reid made a pitching change at the top of the second inning. The Gators benched freshman Kharime Caratachea and brought in sophomore pitcher Elise Roy.
In 4.2 innings, Roy pitched a near-perfect game and only allowed one runner to get on base. Roy wasn’t afraid of being called upon early to respond to the Sharks’ early momentum gain.
“I would say, ‘Be calm, we’re down and we gotta work to get out of it,’” Roy said. “Then we can work from there and try to lessen the damage.”
Roy’s pitching allowed the Gators’ bats to get hot. The Gators scored a run in the second and third innings to close the score to 4-2. The Gators knew their batting firepower would eventually come out as it did during game one.
In the fifth inning, the Gators blew the score wide open. They went through their entire batting order, which resulted in seven straight runs.
Senior catcher Marley Gonzales singled into left field to drive in the last runs of the inning. Gonzales was determined to increase the lead and her insight with the Sharks pitcher helped drive in runs 8 and 9 for the Gators.
“I knew her ball was up,” Gonzales said. “I just had a good approach going in, knowing that I just needed a line drive or something on the ground to move runners in.”
The Gators entered cruise control for the last two innings and won the game 9-4. The Gators stepped off their field with a doubleheader sweep against the Sharks.
Gators don’t usually compete against the Sharks because they aren’t in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference. In addition to the unfamiliarity, head coach Alicia Reid said the preparation for the Sharks was minimal due to the short turnaround.
Winning is a common occurrence for the softball team this season. Reid believes the team’s strong season is due to its core group of players. After spending so much time together, the team is reaping the benefits.
“They know each other in terms of what they do on the field and what we’re capable of,” Reid said. “Our pitching and defense is where it starts, and if that’s on fire, you’re going to be in every game you play.”
The Gators have a short turnaround before taking on the Chico State Warriors in a four-game home-field series starting on March 21 at 1 p.m.
