Bulldogs headed to State Championships for 11th straight season
SAN MATEO – The College of San Mateo softball team has punched its annual ticket to the 3C2A State Championships after a 2-0 series sweep of Hartnell College in the Northern California Super Regional Playoffs.
CSM head coach Nicole Quigley-Borg has led her squad to the state tournament for the 11th straight season. But this year, they won't have to go far with the state championships being held at nearby West Valley College in Saratoga and San Jose City College.
The Bulldogs, making their 18th consecutive postseason appearance, earned its spot at state after picking up a 3-0 win over Hartnell in the series opener on Friday and a 4-2 victory in Game 2 on Saturday.
Game 1: #2 San Mateo 3, #10 Hartnell 0
Nohemi Livingston continued her dominance in the circle, tossing a four-hit shutout to help lead CSM to the Game 1 Super Regional win. She struck out seven and walked none to improve to 24-3 overall this season.
Livingston was matched for five innings by Hartnell pitcher Charlee Hoover who also held the Bulldogs off the board. But CSM finally broke though in the bottom of sixth. Livingston helped her own cause by hitting an RBI single to drive in Jessica Gutierrez with the game's first run.
Moments later, a wild pitch allowed Emma Kinder to score and Ava Mendoza brought home Lilyana Williams with a single to close out the scoring.
Livingston (2 for 3, RBI) and Gutierrez (2 for 3, 2B) both had two hits to lead CSM at the plate.
Game 2: #2 San Mateo 4, #10 Hartnell 2
Katie Johnson's pinch-hit, two-run double in the top of the fifth inning (CSM was the designated visiting team) broke a 1-1 tie and proved to be the difference as the Bulldogs closed out the Super Regionals with the 4-2 win on Saturday.
CSM got another solid pitching performance as Gianna Tassio (4 innings) and Nia Mappa (3 inn.) combined for the win. Tassio moved to 8-0 while allowing a run and two hits. Mapa closed it out, giving up a run and a hit with five strikeouts.
San Mateo got the game's opening run in the third thanks to a Jessica Gutierrez sacrifice fly. Ava Mendoza added another sac fly in the sixth for the Bulldogs final run.
Up next: The 3C2A State Championships get underway on March 15-18. Game times and match ups will be announced soon. CSM will take a 39-3 overall record to the state tournament and will look to capture the program's second state title after winning it in 2022.