Cal State had not never advanced this far so the team’s showing is something of which it can be proud.

The Coyotes played far better than they did in Friday’s loss. Their defense was stellar, they had more scoring opportunities and ace Cassidy Lee out-pitched her counterpart Camille Gaito for six innings.

But the Coyotes failure to make the most of their scoring chances proved costly. They had two runners to third in the first three innings and didn’t score in either. They went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

They took a 1-0 lead into the seventh, only to have the the Tritons manufacture three in the seventh. Somehow those kind of losses hurt worse.

The Coyotes have just three seniors on their 13-player roster – Lee and outfielders Priscilla Curiel and Jacquelyn Holtzclaw. So this experience is something the team can build on in the future. Next year there will be no playoff rookies and maybe they can get over the hump next year.