CSM softball fires five-inning perfecto

Through three wins this season, the Bulldogs have now outscored their opponents 45-3 — picking up where they left off last season when they outscored opponents 448-120 en route to a berth in the final four at the California Community College Athletic Association state championship series.

Serving predominantly as a reliever as a freshman last season, Berriatua was an integral arm throughout a 2014 campaign that ended in disappointment. CSM went two-and-out in the state tourney — a lesson learned for the current sophomore, who through her first two outings this season looks to be on a mission.

“[Losing] was hard, but it is what it is,” Berriatua said. “Going into this year, it was cool because it’s a new team, a new year. We’re not trying to push last year into this year. But now we’re starting to build and grow. I think that’s what we need. We need to keep building and see where it goes from there.”

The right-hander looked to have everything working Tuesday, setting down all 12 batters she faced, including notching all four of her strikeouts in her final two innings. Berriatua said she was a little uneasy after her first pitch of the game missed in the dirt. But she quickly settled in, inducing three groundouts to cruise through the first inning.

“I think starting out I was a little [iffy] but after a while it was pretty consistent,” Berriatua said.

CSM’s smooth infield defense helped settle down Berriatua. The Bulldogs have not made an error through three games this season.

“[Defense] is very important,” said Smith, the Bulldogs’ shortstop. “Our coach reminds us every day that we’ve been top in the state for defense. So, we focus on that a lot and make sure we make our big plays.”

Once Berriatua and sophomore catcher Leilani Akai settled into a rhythm, CSM’s fluid defense carried over to the offensive side of the ball. And once the Bulldogs’ bats get going, there’s no stopping them.

After a rare scoreless first inning by CSM, the bats got going in the bottom of the second. Kaitlin Chang started a two-out rally with a ground-rule double down the right-field line. Brittney Wilkerson followed with a high fly ball that Modesto's left fielder dropped for an error, allowing Chang to score with Wilkerson advancing to second. Smith followed by scorching an RBI single to center to score Wilkerson, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.

In the third, CSM added to its lead with four hits and a clutch squeeze bunt. Rodriguez led off the frame with an infield single. After she stole second, Akai shot an RBI double to left-center. Berriatua then singled to left, moving Akai to third. Christy Peterson followed with her first collegiate hit, an infield single to score Akai. Then Chang dropped a squeeze bunt to score Berriatua, giving CSM a 5-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Berriatua was dominating in the circle. In the first inning she induced two groundouts to the shortstop Smith and a groundout to the second baseman Peterson. In the second inning, she got three fly outs: a pop out to Smith at short, a liner to Wilkerson in center and a routine fly ball to Chang in left. In the third, she started the inning getting a groundout to second before notching back-to-back strikeouts. In the fourth, she induced a groundout to short before finishing her day with a pair of swinging strikeouts.

“She looked good today,” CSM head coach Nicole Borg said. “Everything looked right on point. So, we’re in good shape for it only being the third game of the season.”

Up 5-0 going into the fifth inning, Borg turned to left-handed reliever Crawford. The sophomore preserved the perfecto by starting the frame with a pop out to catcher Harlee Donovan. The she ran the count full to notch a dramatic strikeout. She finished the day by inducing a pop-up to Janelle Rubio at second base.

Borg said she was aware of the perfect game when she brought in Crawford, but the priority is for the entire team to get its feet on the ground early in the season.

“The whole perfect game — when it’s a big game … and you’re fighting tooth and nail to get that win — sure, you don’t pull your pitcher,” Borg said.

The combined perfect game bodes well for the Bulldogs though, who are relying on the pitching duo to eat up a majority of the innings this season.

“They've both looked solid,” Borg said. “It’s a matter of developing them both and getting them both to where we need them to be for a big game. … So, we’re going to need both of them to be at their very best throughout the season.”

When Crawford walked off the diamond after the top of the fifth though, the game seemed as though it could go a regulation seven innings. But a five-run Bulldogs rally sealed the deal to win via eight-run mercy rule.

In the fifth, CSM got a single from Kacy Edwards and a pair of walks to Rubio and Chang to load the bases. Then Wilkerson shot a two-RBI single to up the lead to 7-0, moving Chang to third base as the potential game-ending run.

But leave it to the Bulldogs to go out in style. Smith not only drove home Chang, she connected with a fastball to blast a towering three-run home run to left-center and set off a walk-off celebration at home plate.

Next up, CSM starts a three-game weekend series Friday. The Bulldogs host Shasta Friday at 3 p.m. before playing two Saturday. The doubleheader starts at 10 a.m. against Gavilan. The nightcap is against Shasta at 2 p.m.