• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (May 10) – Freshman third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) and sophomore center fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) combined for eight RBI on Friday afternoon, as the top-seeded Vulcans claimed a 13-0 run-rule victory against eighth-seeded Chowan (N.C.) at Lilley Field in the NCAA Tournament.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 37-4 overall. The Vulcans will face the winner of Lock Haven-West Chester (play suspended until May 11 at 10 a.m. I Live Stats) tomorrow, Saturday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m. Meanwhile, Chowan falls to 26-22 this season after winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) Tournament title to earn the automatic qualifier in the NCAA Tournament.

Heyd and Smarra were two of four Vulcans to finish with mutli-hit games against the Hawks. Smarra went 3-for-3 with one double, a pair of homers and four RBI, while Heyd finished 2-for-3 with a three-run homer, four RBI and two runs scored. Junior catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) collected a pair of hits, including an RBI double, and scored twice, while junior right fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) added a pair of hits in the victory.

In the bottom of the first, Cal U raced out to a 6-0 lead with all the runs being scored with two outs. Freshman first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) started the rally after reaching on a dropped fly with one out. Following a strikeout, Ellis lined an RBI single through the middle and advanced to second on the throw before scoring on an RBI single by Heyd. Wideman and Smarra collected back-to-back doubles before the last run of the inning scored on an RBI single through the middle by freshman left fielder Erica Vallecorsa (Latham, N.Y./Shaker).

The Vulcans added to the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second, 11-0. Reicoff opened the inning with a single and scored on an RBI double down the left-field line by sophomore shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central). Later in the inning, Heyd belted a three-run homer, her fifth of the year, and Smarra posted a two-run homer. Smarra finished with the first multi-homer game of her career by hitting a solo homer in the fifth, 12-0.

Freshmen Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) and Haley Bashada (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) combined for a three-hit shutout on Friday. Sagl yielded just one hit and recorded eight strikeouts in 4.0 innings (70 pitches), while Bashada allowed two hits in a scoreless 1.0 inning of work (15 pitches). Hawks sophomore Alora Lincoln (15-11) suffered the loss after being roughed up for 13 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits in 4.0 innings (87 pitches).

The Vulcans return to action in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow when they face the winner of West Chester-Lock Haven with time to be determined due to the suspended game.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 10
Game 1 - (1) California (Pa.) d. (8) Chowan (N.C.), 13-0
Game 2 - (5) Lock Haven vs. (4) West Chester, (suspended top 4th)

Saturday, May 11
Game 2 - (5) Lock Haven vs. (4) West Chester, 10 a.m. (resumed top 4th)
Game 3 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 11:30 a.m.
Game 4 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 2 p.m. (loser eliminated)
Game 5 - Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 4:30 p.m. (loser eliminated)

Sunday, May 12
Game 6 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)