The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.

Perennial contenders for the state softball championship, the College of San Mateo Bulldogs will have to wait another year for a shot at the program’s first title.

CSM faced an uphill battle after losing Thursday’s opener of the California Community College Athletic Association championship tournament. After winning two games through the losers’ bracket Friday, the Bulldogs (41-6 overall) were ousted from the double-elimination tourney Saturday with a 7-2 loss to defending champion Cypress.

Emily McAdams and Lauren Quirke both saw work in the circle after earning back-to-back wins Friday. McAdams (Sequoia) worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits to take the loss. Quirke (Hillsdale) allowed two runs through 2 1/3 innings of relief.

The Bulldogs jumped out front in the first inning. Allie Stines led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Gaby Zucchiatti. Cypress took the lead with two runs in the second and continued to add on throughout. CSM added its final run in the seventh, but saw its season end on a groundout off the bat of Stines.

Quirke and Stines were each named to the All-Tournament team.

CSM has advanced to the state championship tournament in each of the last six years. Cypress was eliminated by Palomar later in the day. Host Mt. San Antonio went on to win the title with back-to-back victories over Palomar, including a 5-4 in Sunday’s finale by virtue of an exciting three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.