Doubleheader sweep delivers San Mateo softball coach Nicole Quigley-Borg 500th win

MODESTO - Nicole Quigley-Borg achieved a milestone Saturday with her 500th victory as College of San Mateo softball coach with a 16-4 win at Modesto JC. That completed a doubleheader sweep of the Pirates, including a 5-1 win in the opener.

Quigley-Borg now has a record of 500 wins and just 131 losses in her 15 seasons as head coach at CSM.

The Bulldogs have been in the Northern California playoffs every year and have competed in the state finals tournament regularly, including every season from 2013. (There was no state tournament in 2020. The 2021 event has also been cancelled.)

San Mateo won five games last week to improve the state's best softball record to 14-0 while extending the leading 2-season winning streak to 24 games.

CSM took three games from Cabrillo College, 11-0, 4-3, and 8-0. San Mateo outscored the week's foes, 44-8. Friday's 4-3 triumph in eight innings was the only time the Bulldogs have been severely challenged this season. Gianna Voltattorni hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch-hitter Lisett Colindres for the walkoff.  Colindres had singled to open the extra frame for CSM, advanced on a groundout by Analeese Rios and then a hit by Chloe Moffitt to set up Voltattorni.

Usual leadoff batter Voltattorni was also among the stars against Modesto (3-3), getting five hits in six at bats (including a double and a triple), stealing four bases, and scoring four times. She is batting .444 and slugging .750.

Titah Fa'aita was the winning pitcher in the first game striking out five over 6 1/3 innings and allowing the single earned run to improve her record to 4-0. She also went 3-for-4 at the plate (including a double) and scored a run – and added a hit as a pitch hit double in the second game. She is batting .500 and slugging .900.

San Mateo took a 16-0 lead in the second game, scoring 12 runs in the top of the third to all but assure Quigley-Borg of getting No. 500. Analeese Rios had three hits, two RBIs, and scored a run in that contest.

Leila Velasquez added a pair of hits, three RBIs, and scored twice. Kealani Cardona got the win, her third, with a perfect inning of relief pitching.

Homer or the week: Against Cabrillo, catcher Ella Gibson-Chang became the eighth CSM player to hit a home run this season. It was CSM's only roundtrip blast of the week.

CSM leads the state in team batting average (.447), slugging percentage (.702),  runs scored (143), hits (186), extra-base hits (67), total bases (292)doubles (44), triples (7), home runs (16), RBIs (125), stolen bases (35). Defensively, opponents are batting only .153 and CSM has pitched eight shutouts, both pacesetting marks.

Nicole Quigley-Borg
Head Coach

(College of San Mateo Athletics)