BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The CSUB softball team split the final doubleheader of its transition era to full NCAA Division I status, winning 9-2 and losing 2-1 against Saint Mary's College Sunday afternoon at the Roadrunner Softball Complex.

The game two win was significant for Saint Mary's (28-20, 14-4 PCSC) in that it helped clinch its first ever PCSC Coastal Division title. The Gaels will play Mountain Division champion Portland State next weekend in a 2-of-3 series to determine the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Playing as the home team per conference rules, the Gaels were down to their final two outs before back-to-back homers by Maryanne Cronin and Whitney Heuser gave them the dramatic win.

CSUB (22-34, 9-11) was looking to play spoiler Sunday and force Saint Mary's to have to play a makeup doubleheader with San Diego on Monday to earn the title. With that on the line, sophomore pitcher Sammy Rodriguez (Salinas HS) pitched through an injury that had caused her to miss the past two weeks. More than just gut out a solid effort, Rodriguez was in control throughout. She allowed just two runs on four hits, striking out six against no walks, to earn her 12^th win of the season.

Her offense gave her all the support she would need in the second inning when an RBI single by Stefanie Frei (Valencia/Canyon Country HS) and a two-run knock from Kelli Bailey (Rodeo/John Swett HS) staked Rodriguez to a 3-0.

Kayla Gonzales' two-run double in the fourth trimmed the lead, but the 'Runners blew it open with six runs in the fifth. Frei, Bailey and Kristen Archuleta (Hollister/San Benito HS) each contributed run-scoring doubles to the deluge.

In game two, junior catcher Kasie Muro (Tehachapi/Santa Barbara CC) came through with her biggest hit of the season, lining a two-out single up the middle to score Karlee Rodgers (Clovis West HS) with the game's first run. Senior starter Shawna Truan (McArthur/Fall River HS), pitching one of her strongest efforts of the season, made that run stand up until the end. She was in trouble only once before the seventh, allowing a leadoff triple to Michelle Mounts in the sixth before retiring the next three hitters on two popups and a groundout to end the threat.

CSUB's five position playing seniors went out with a bang, going an aggregate 15-for-36 (.444) Sunday afternoon. Bailey went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs in the opener. Senior designated player Danielle Lyman (Moreno Valley/Canyon Springs HS) also had four hits, going 2-for-3 in each game.

Mounts (2-for-5) and Heuser (3-for-5) were the only Gaels to hit safely in both games.

The games concluded the 2010 CSUB Softball season. When CSUB takes the field once again in February, 2011, it will be NCAA Division I postseason eligible for the first time in school history.