Cal State San Marcos softball player Jillian Albayati had a busy Sunday, playing 13 innings at third base and coming to the plate six times in a doubleheader against Cal State Monterey Bey.
In between games, Albayati sprinted 100 yards from the softball field to the baseball field, changed uniforms and pitched an inning in relief for the men’s team.
“She literally sprinted through the shot-put area straight to the bullpen, did her band routine and started throwing,” CSUSM head baseball coach Jose Garcia said. “I would say she did a damn good job. It was a cool moment, and she gave us exactly what we were looking for.”
“We made her dreams come true by her being able to go to the mound for the baseball team, and I know she loves our softball team,” added CSUSM head softball coach Stef Ewing. “It was Christmas day for Jill on Sunday.”
In doing so, Albayati, a sophomore, became the first woman to play baseball at Cal State San Marcos and just the second NCAA athlete ever to play in a softball and baseball game on the same day. She is also the first at the Division II level to accomplish the feat.
Christina Elsbury of Gallaudet University appeared in a Division III softball and baseball game on April 22, 2023, making Albayati a Larry Doby of sorts.
She took the baseball field wearing no. 42.
“It was a really exciting moment for me,” Albayati told the Coast News Monday afternoon. “You never know where life will take you or the opportunities you will get.”
The Cougars baseball team is first in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. However, a wave of injuries to the pitching rotation left them short on arms and needing to consume innings.
Garcia considered holding an open tryout, but Ewing suggested Albayati.
Albayati, a native of Anaheim and childhood fixture at Angel Stadium, played high school baseball, where she was an All-CIF pitcher and went 20-0 with a 1.68 ERA. She has also remained active as a player with the women’s USA National Baseball Team.
Garcia quickly took to the idea and, after a bullpen session, was sold.
“We figured she’s eager to give it a go and is a huge baseball nut, so we had her come out and throw a bullpen last Friday,” Garcia said. “I wasn’t looking for her to come out and throw 85 miles per hour. I just wanted to see someone who was going to compete and throw strikes. It was very evident that she wasn’t scared. She threw a bunch of strikes with some movement. The fastball had some cut, she dropped in a breaking ball, and her changeup was good. That was all I needed to see.”
A walk-off grand slam gave the Cougars softball team a win in the opening game of their doubleheader, while the baseball team was deep into what would become an 18-2 shelling at the hands of Sonoma State.
Albayati came into the baseball game and retired the side in the top of the 9th, allowing three hits, a walk and one earned run.
“I was really excited, but I tried to stay calm, throw strikes and get outs,” Albayati said with an air of nonchalance. “I think I did pretty well.”
“I asked her afterward if she was nervous. She said, ‘No, I was just a little tired from the run down from the softball field,’” Garcia said.
“I was able to see her throw to a couple of hitters while I was writing the lineup for the next game,” Ewing added. It was incredible to see her take the mound for them and see how excited her teammates were for her. She was cool, calm, and collected.”
In the softball team’s second game of the day, Albayati reached base in the bottom of the first on a fielder’s choice and then singled in the bottom of the sixth, finally getting to rest. A pinch runner replaced her on the bases.
CSUSM won game two 4-2, moving to 23-14 on the season.
The Cougars baseball team dropped its second game of the day, 6-7, falling to 19-13 for the year.
Garcia isn’t sure if Albayati will make another appearance this season, but he isn’t closing the door on it either.
“I’m certainly not opposed to it if the situation calls for it,” he said. “We want to get our guys healthy, but you just never know. We still have three more weeks ahead of us, and she is going to throw bullpens for us each week. The idea is that if it works out, she will be back on the 28-person roster.”
