BERRIATUA & CRAWFORD COMBINE FOR PERFECT GAME IN CSM SB HOME OPENER

SAN MATEO – Lauren Berriatua and Lacie Crawford combined for a perfect game as College of San Mateo beat Modesto JC, 10-0, in the Bulldogs' softball home opener Tuesday. Kayleen Smith capped the day with a walkoff 3-run home run in the fifth inning to apply a mercy-rule ending to the affair.

CSM (3-0), ranked second in Northern California and No. 4 in the state coaches association preseason polls, has outscored its first three opponents, 45-3. That included a season-opening sweep at Merced College, 17-1 and 18-2 on Saturday. Modesto fell to 0-2.

Berriatua (2-0), a sophomore out of Notre Dame Belmont High, pitched the first four innings, striking out four. Crawford, a soph from Granada High, quickly retired the side in the fifth, including a strikeout.

Berriatua had a single and a double in her two at bats and scored a run. She is now hitting .857 for the season, going 6-for-7, including a home run -- and has a 1.714 slugging average. She has not given up a hit yet this season in eight innings of work. Crawford had a bunt in her only at bat Tuesday to set-up the first run of a 5-run fifth inning. 

CSM coach Nicole Borg felt it was necessary to use both of her pitchers in the early season game. "It's a matter of developing both of them," she said. "Were going to need both. They both looked solid."

Left fielder Smith (James Logan) had an RBI double in the second innings to make her RBI tally four for the day. Melina Rodriguez (James Logan) also had two hits and scored a run.

San Mateo continues an 11-game home stand by hosting state No. 11 Shasta on Friday at 3 p.m. and then two teams on Saturday -- Gavilan at 10 a.m. and then Shasta again at 2 p.m.