IRVINE, Calif. — The Montana State University softball team wrapped up the second day of the Concordia Kickoff Classic with a 10-1 defeat at the hands of Cal State Monterey Bay, then battled back late in a 5-2 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday.
 
Maycen O'Neal's pinch-hit RBI single provided Yellowjackets' (1-3) lone run in the 10-1 loss to Cal State Monterey Bay. Yet the 'Jackets shook off the morning's result against Cal State Dominguez Hills with stellar infield play and a game-tying RBI single from sophomore second baseman Kilee Imada before the Toros used a big sixth inning to win 5-2.
 
QUICK HITS

• Kilee Imada was named the Player of the Day for the game-tying RBI single in the fifth inning of the Cal State Dominguez Hills game, plus for turning a nifty double-play earlier that game.
• Brittanee Fisher and Maycen O'Neal were the only 'Jackets to reach base in both games.
• Fisher drew two walks against Cal State Monterey Bay before hitting a double and drawing a walk against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
• O'Neal went 1-for-2 with an RBI single against Cal State Monterey Bay, then reached on an error against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

 
GAME 1: Cal State Monterey Bay 10, MSUB 1 
 
The 'Jackets offense struggled early and the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters took advantage of five MSUB errors in the first game of the day Saturday morning.
 
"We came out a little flat this morning," MSUB head softball coach Lisa McKinney said. "Our defense made some uncommon errors and we struggled finding out timing at the plate. Shelby Martin came in and pitched well for us, then Maycen O'Neal came in for a pinch hit and made solid contact to drive in our run."
 
For the first five outs, MSUB rode its defense as its offense tried finding its rhythm. With two runners on and two outs in the top of the first, Skyler Jenkins helped MSUB hold Cal State Monterey Bay scoreless by tagging out a CSUMB runner out at home plate to end the inning. After the first CSUMB hitter reached in the second, Julia Qualteri retired the next two batters before the Otters took a 2-0 lead when a routine single turned into two runs after both CSUMB batters scored on a fielding error.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay would then take a 6-0 run in the next inning, in which they led off with four-straight hits before scoring on both a wild pitch and a passed ball. Shelby Martin relieved Qualteri after the third batter of the third inning, but she found her rhythm in the next two innings, allowing only one hit but stranding three baserunners in the fourth and the fifth. All told, Martin struck out one batter, allowed five hits and five runs in five innings of work.
 
Drawing walks in her first two at-bats, first baseman Brittanee Fisher was the only hitter to figure out Cal State Monterey Bay starter Cassie Gasper until the fifth inning. With one out, Fisher drew her second walk, then Allie Hughes reached on a fielder's choice, but Cal State Monterey Bay's shortstop muffed a throw that helped pinch-runner Claire Bagnell reach third. Maycen O'Neal's pinch-hit RBI single to center field brought Bagnell into score, which not only broke up the no-hitter, but also got MSUB on the board.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay would take back the run in the sixth inning, then would score three more runs in the top of the seventh to seal the deal. Hughes was MSUB's lone runner in scoring position in the seventh inning, in which she reached base on a fielding error, then moved up to second on a wild pitch.
 
Gasper got the win with four strikeouts, one hit, one run and only two walks in five innings of work. Julia Qualteri struck out three batters, allowed six hits and only walked two in the loss.
 
GAME 2: Cal State Dominguez Hills 5, MSUB 2
 
MSUB's second game of the day was starkly different from the get-go. The offense started hitting, the defense played error-free softball – highlighted by solid play from shortstop Sidney Pollard, second baseman Kilee Imada and first baseman Brittanee Fisher. Making her second start in as many days, Alyssa Etheridge shook off a tricky first inning by striking out five batters in the next four scoreless innings that helped give the 'Jacket offense opportunities to claw back into the low-scoring game.
 
Batting in the leadoff spot for the first time in her collegiate career, right fielder Alexis Tovar worked a six-pitch to get aboard, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sidney Pollard's double into left field scored Tovar, quickly giving MSUB a 1-0 run with no outs. Maycen O'Neal reached on an error, then advanced to second on the throw, but Pollard was tagged out at home on the play. The Toros would get out of the jam in the top of the inning before taking a 2-0 lead on three singles, a sacrifice bunt and a groundout.
 
Although the 'Jackets went down in order in the second, the defense rallied in the bottom of the inning. After Cal State Dominguez Hills earned a leadoff walk, the next batter hit a grounder to Pollard, who flipped it to Kilee Imada, who turned the double-play with a throw to Brittanee Fisher. It was MSUB's first double play of the year, and it galvanized the defense from that point forward. Etheridge struck out the next batter on three pitches to end the inning.
 
The 'Jacket defense came through again in the bottom of the third, as Fisher dug out a tough throw from Pollard for the second out of the inning. The Toros threatened to break open the inning with a two-out triple, but the next batter flied out to left field for another quick inning.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills nearly broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth by loading the bases with one out, yet Etheridge rallied with her best sequence of pitches of the night. The junior struck out the next two batters on seven pitches – four of which were called strikes – for her third-straight scoreless inning.
 
"Alyssa threw a pretty good game keeping their hitters off balance with her change up and the defense played strong behind her," McKinney said.
 
As the sun set in the top of the fifth, the 'Jacket offense came alive. Fisher led off the inning by doubling to right-center field after falling behind 0-2 in the count, then Jazlyn Kalehuawehe's pinch-hit single moved pinch-runner Claire Bagnell to third with no outs. After being the heroine earlier with the double-play, Imada provided another highlight albeit this time from inside the batter's box. Imada sent the fourth pitch she saw into left field for the game-tying, RBI single that sent Kalehuawehe to second. Kalehuawehe would advance to third, but the 'Jackets couldn't put more runs on the board after Imada tied the game.
 
"Sidney Pollard and Kilee Imada came up with the clutch hits to score the runs when we needed them," McKinney said. "I thought we were making solid contact throughout the game, but we were hitting the ball right at players."
 
Etheridge retired the side in a brief bottom of the fifth inning. Needing only four pitches to record two outs, Etheridge won a seven-pitch at-bat with Dominguez Hills' Chenoa Au to finish the inning with her fifth strikeout of the game.
 
The Yellowjackets stayed hot in the top of the sixth inning, as Marin Penney rocketed a double into center field before Allie Hughes' groundout advanced Penney to third. Fisher and Kalehuawehe were intentionally walked to load the bases, but the 'Jackets couldn't capitalize.
 
The Toros would break open the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, rallying with a leadoff triple and drawing a walk before Jenna Kister took over for Etheridge. Cal State Dominguez Hills took the lead on a two-run double with no outs, then made it a 5-2 game on a one-out sacrifice bunt. MSUB went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to finish the game.
 
Alyssa Olague pitched a complete game for Cal State Dominguez Hills, striking out six batters, giving up five hits and two runs in 116 pitches. Etheridge pitched five innings, struck out five batters, gave up five runs on four hits and walked three.
 
UP NEXT: The 'Jackets finish their time at the Concordia Kickoff Classic against Stanislaus State on Sunday morning at 8:45 a.m. A link to live stats can be found at the softball schedule page at msubsports.com.