The Warriors softball team started the day on a high but the tide quickly changed in the middle innings of both games as they fell twice on Sunday.
An early 2-0 lead in the first game on the day was erased by a seven-run inning by Cal State Monterey Bay in a 12-3, five inning loss. In game two, San Francisco State scored seven runs in the middle innings, including a four-run fourth, to defeat Stanislaus, 7-2.
The Best of the West Invitational, which is the annual season-opening event here in Turlock was won by Cal State San Marcos, which went 5-0 behind the strong pitching of Katie Wilkinson (4-0, 0.00 ERA).
In Cal State Stanislaus' game against CCAA foe Cal State Monterey Bay that started Sunday, the Warriors jumped on the Otters in the second inning. Brittney Rickles doubled in Amy Droege and Brianna Nicholson's infield single scored Rickles for a 2-0 lead.
But, the Otters sent 11 batters to the plate in the third innings and scored seven times to take over. CSUMB had seven hits with four doubles in the inning. CSUMB tagged on five more runs in the fourth, including a Trina Solario bases-clearing double.
In game two, against San Francisco State, after going up 2-1, the Warriors surrendered a run in the third and four more in the fourth to lose the lead.
Freshmen Morgan Balestreri and Cassidy Duke each went 2-for-4 against SF State to lead the Warriors. Rickles managed the only extra-base hit for the Warriors on Sunday.