NFCA No. 3-ranked Cal State San Marcos softball capped the most successful season in program history Sunday, falling 4-3 to McKendree in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II National Championship at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“It was an incredible ride,” Cougars head coach AJ Robinson said. “We broke all sorts of records. We were going through the memories of the year — so much good stuff about this team. Our success is spread around through a lot of people. Really a great season. Super proud of our program.”
The Cougars finished 57-12, set multiple single-season records during a breakthrough year that placed Cal State San Marcos among the top programs in Division II softball.
CSUSM struck first against McKendree, taking a 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Jillian Albayati drew a leadoff walk before Czar Fleischman doubled to right field to bring her home for the game’s first run. Sarah Bull followed with an RBI single to center to extend the early lead.
McKendree answered in the bottom of the second with four runs. After putting two runners on, the Bearcats used a sacrifice fly to get on the board before Trista Moore delivered a two-run double to right-center field to put McKendree in front. A second sacrifice fly later in the inning extended the lead to 4-2.
The Cougars cut the deficit to one run in the fourth inning. Alizabeth Ruiz and Malaia Huskey opened the frame with consecutive singles before Jordan Elias moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Albayati then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Ruiz and making it 4-3.
Cal State San Marcos continued to apply pressure, finishing with nine hits to McKendree’s six, but stranded 11 runners on base and could not push across the tying run.
Reliever Madison Cabrera gave the Cougars a chance down the stretch, tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five.
As the season closed, Robinson pointed to a senior core that helped drive the program’s rise.
“Jill [Albayati] and Czar [Fleischman] have been here the whole time,” Robinson said. “Their hunger to get here was a real driving force to this team. Jordan [Hill] and Jordan [Elias] are such incredible pieces of this team, the leadership and drive. These four pushed the rest of the team to do and become.”
Robinson said he was not yet ready to shift his attention forward.
“I look forward to next year, but right now I really want to take in these four with this team because we will never play together again,” Robinson said. “It was special. We will look at next year in a few days. I want to soak in this moment right now.”
“This is what we work for every single year,” Albayati said. “It’s why you play softball. I am so happy that I chose this place.”
Jordan Elias said the Cougars fully embraced the postseason goal of reaching Chattanooga.
“This team is just incredible, one of my favorite teams I’ve ever played on,” Elias said. “We bought into the goal of getting to Chattanooga and playing for a national championship.”
For Jordan Hill, a senior transfer, the stage matched a long-held expectation.
“Playing on this level on this field is a dream come true,” Hill said. “It’s what you want when you start playing at 6 years old. It’s been the most fun I’ve had ever playing.”
The Cougars’ postseason run included a dramatic extra-inning Super Regional victory over Biola that secured the program’s trip to the national championship finals site. Robinson later described that win as “probably the best game that I’ve ever been part of.”
