0-3
Saint Mary's
2-1
Mustangs Fall Twice Saturday at NorCal Kickoff
2/7/2026 11:40:00 AM | Softball
SACRAMENTO – Senior left fielder Kiara Blanchard swatted the Cal Poly softball program’s first home run of 2026 Saturday morning, but the Mustangs opened second-day action at the NorCal Kickoff with an 8-4 loss to Saint Mary’s. The Mustangs also fell in Saturday’s second game to co-host Sacramento State, 5-2.
During Saturday’s opening 8-4 setback to Saint Mary’s (2-1), the Gaels grabbed the game’s only lead with a three-run second inning.
Outing Saint Mary’s, 11-5, Cal Poly struck back with two runs in the top half of the third after Blanchard (above) homered to right field with one down before freshman designated player Myleigh Cooper doubled and later scored through senior first baseman Mylina Garza’s single up the middle.
Saint Mary’s, however, responded during the bottom half of the third with five runs, taking advantage of two Mustang errors to claim an 8-2 advantage.
Cal Poly stranded two in the fourth before halving its deficit in the sixth after freshman shortstop Madi Bohannon and Blanchard supplied run-scoring hits.
Freshman righthander Kaylee Davis (0-2) sustained the loss for Cal Poly after conceding all eight runs – though only three were earned after three Mustang errors.
During Saturday’s second matchup at Sacramento State (4-0), Cal Poly stranded two baserunners in the top of the first and the Hornets scored twice in the bottom half to surge ahead.
The Mustangs left two more on in the second and another in the fourth inning as Sacramento State went up 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth after pinch hitter Mariah Avalos produced a two-run triple and left fielder Lafulafu Malepeai added a run-scoring single.
Cal Poly broke through in the sixth with sophomore second baseman Sienna Erskine singling with one down before junior center fielder A’Niyla Byrd doubled to right center. Erskine came around to score as did Byrd following a throwing error from Hornets second baseman Jenna Birch.
Sophomore righthander Bree Brennan (0-1) took the loss for Cal Poly, despite a career high five strikeouts.
Cal Poly completes NorCal Kickoff action Sunday, Feb. 8 at 12 noon versus San Diego.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thurman, Ella (1-0)
L: Davis, Kaylee (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Cooper, Myleigh 1
HR: Blanchard, Kiara 1
RBI: Blanchard, Kiara 2 ; Garza, Mylina 1 ; Bohannon, Madi 1
SH: Venegas, Maya 1 ; Allen, Leilani 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blanchard, Kiara 1 ; Choi, Karina 1 ; Byrd, A'Niyla 1 ; Martinez, Sehren 1
Batting:
2B: Cervantes, Tori 1 ; Lane, Taylor 1
3B: Medina, Julia 1
RBI: Castillo, Victoria 1 ; Lara, Camille 1 ; Medina, Julia 3 ; Zabat, Mia 1
SH: Lara, Camille 1 ; Zabat, Mia 1
SF: Medina, Julia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cervantes, Tori 1 ; Scolini, Isabella 1 ; Cuen Camacho, Ruby 1 ; Castillo, Victoria 2 ; Lara, Camille 2 ; Medina, Julia 1
SB: Cuen Camacho, Ruby 1 ; Castillo, Victoria 1 ; Zabat, Mia 1
HBP: Zabat, Mia 1
