Bulldogs' Season Ends with Narrow Losses at State Championships
The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
After cruising through the first two rounds of the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Softball Championship Tournament, and entering Saturday having lost just one game all season, the College of San Mateo Bulldogs saw their quest to repeat as state champions cut short.
CSM (43-3) saw its season come to an end after dropping two games Saturday in the tourney semifinal round at Bakersfield College, both against opponents scoring in their final at-bats. The Bulldogs opened the day with a 1-0 extra-inning loss to Palomar in the winners' bracket semifinals, when a scoreless tie into the eighth saw Palomar sophomore Alex Huey provide the game's only score with a solo home run.
Later that evening, CSM was eliminated with a 4-3 loss to Saddleback. The Bulldogs matched their season-worst with six errors in the contest, including Saddleback's unearned run in the top of the seventh when sophomore Millie Maher singled on the infield then raced all the way around on an error to score the go-ahead run.
Palomar (44-2) and Saddleback met Sunday for the 3C2A title, with Palomar needing to be defeated twice to be denied the title.
The Saturday opener saw CSM freshman Lola Sierra lock up with Palomar's Kiara Flaviani, both of whom went the distance. Sierra set down nine straight at one point, and allowed just one run on three hits, three walks and a hit batsman, while striking out nine. Flaviani was even better, firing a two-hit shutout, while walking two and striking out seven.
Nia Mapa singled with one on and one out in the first for the Bulldogs' first hit. Sophomore Katie Johnson singled with two out in the seventh.
With the loss, Sierra's record falls to 28-2. Flaviani improves to 37-1.
In the nightcap, CSM overcame a 3-1 deficit in the sixth when sophomore Hannah Ames connected for a two-run home run against Saddleback freshman starting pitcher Kylee Cammarato. Saddleback (36-14) turned to freshman Colette Howren in relief. Howren set down all six batters she faced to earn the win, upping her record to 24-7. CSM sophomore Gianna Tassio took the loss through 1 2/3 innings of relief, dropping her record to 6-1.
CSM advanced through the first two rounds of the tourney with a 6-2 win Thursday over Saddleback, and a 7-2 win Saturday over Cosumnes River. Ames finished the tournament 4 for 10 with a home run and four RBIs, and finishes the year with a .460 batting average.
The Bulldogs finish the season tied for second in the state with a .384 batting average. Hypothetically, even if Palomar were no-hit twice Sunday, the Comet's still could not be dethroned as state team batting champions. Palomar entered play Sunday batting .418 as a team. CSM will finish with the state team pitching crown with a 1.47 staff ERA.
CSM was chasing its third state championship in five years. The Bulldogs won their first-ever state crown in 2022, and earned another in 2025.