Strong playoff start for CSM

Unlike the Warriors, the Bulldogs kept the pedal to the metal throughout the regular season, recapturing the Coast Conference North Division championship. But could CSM simply carry its regular-season dominance right into the playoffs?

Turns out they can. The Bulldogs scored early and often, while starting pitcher Emily McAdams was nearly unhittable as CSM roared out of the playoff gate with a 10-1, five-inning, mercy-rule victory.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series continues at noon Saturday at CSM. If necessary, a third game would be played at 2 p.m.

The way the Bulldogs played Friday, Solano is in for an uphill battle.

“I think [we] want to get to the next step,” said CSM head coach Nicole Borg. “And [we] don’t take anyone lightly.”

Borg was pleased to see her team jump out to an early lead and then continue to add on. CSM (36-4 overall) scored two runs in each of the first two innings, added three more in the third and rounded out the scoring with two runs in the fourth as the Bulldogs scored 10 runs on 10 hits.

“It was nice to see a steady balance (of offense throughout the game),” Borg said. “Usually, when you jump on a team that early, you take your foot off the gas.

“We preach (aggressive play) all year ’round. The message has to be the same.”

That was more than enough offense for McAdams, who has developed into a legitimate ace for the Bulldogs in just her first year out of Sequoia High School. McAdams worked the first four innings, allowing just one run on two hits before Lauren Quirke finished up the fifth. The sophomore loaded the bases with one out, but got a strikeout and flyout to center to end things.

McAdams was perfect through the first three innings. She got out of the first inning on just five pitches and retired the first nine batters she faced. Falcons’ leadoff hitter Santiaga Ortega blasted a shot to the fence in center field that Emily Cotla could not track down to break up the perfecto bid.

With Ortega on second, Alexa Vavricka came through with a two-out single to drive in Solano’s only run of the game.

“I saw the potential in what [McAdams] can do (when she was at Sequoia). She’s very coachable. I think we’re on the same page,” Borg said. “[She just] has a solid understanding of what I want her to do.”

CSM knows exactly what Borg wants them to do at the plate and that is to bang the ball around the yard. As a team, the Bulldogs hit for the cycle — with Ally Sarabia supplying the homer and Allie Stines adding the triple. Stines, Quirke and Aubrie Businger each had doubles for the Bulldogs.

Stines was especially prolific as the CSM leadoff hitter. Friday, she was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple in the third.

“The thing with her, she has a great eye (at the plate),” Borg said of Stines. “She understands the strike zone.”

Stines was the catalyst for CSM’s two-run first as she led off the game with a four-pitch walk. She went to third when Quirke blooped a double into shallow left-center field and Gaby Zucchiatti drove them both in with a seeing-eye single up the middle.

In the second inning, Sarabia launched the game’s only home run, as she got into a 2-1 pitch and deposited it over the left-field fence for a 3-0 CSM lead. Later in the inning, Stines came up with a two-out double and scored on Quirke’s infield hit deep in the hole at second.

In the third, a Solano two-out error opened the floodgates for a three-run rally for the Bulldogs. With two outs, Lexi Riccardi reached when her grounder to shortstop was bobbled. Riccardi then alertly took second as they failed to check on her. Following a Sarabia walk, Cotla hit what should have the been the final out of the inning — a can of corn to left field, that hit off the heel of the left fielder’s glove for an error to load the bases. Stines came up and, after taking two balls, yanked a hot shot down the right-field line that rattled around in the corner. All three runs came in and Stines was on third with a triple and a 8-1 lead.

In the fourth, Riccardi singled home courtesy runner Jamie Madigan and Sarabia hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Businger and round out the scoring.

Despite Friday’s easy success, Borg expects her team to come out Saturday morning having put Friday behind them.

“Your next game is the most important one. They’ve really bought into that,” Borg said. “Never be satisfied with the bare minimum.”