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CALIFORNIA (May 12) – The top-seeded Vulcans were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Lilley Field after allowing six-unanswered runs in a 6-3 loss to fourth-seeded West Chester.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team finishes the year with a 38-6 overall record. The Vulcans posted their winningest season in over a decade and finished the tournament with a 2-2 record. Meanwhile, West Chester improves to 37-19 this season and advances to face Kutztown in the NCAA Super Regionals next weekend.

Cal U freshman Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) and West Chester senior Devon Utterback battled to a pitcher's duel in the opening portion of the game, allowing only a combined two hits through three innings. In the bottom of the first, junior second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) opened the inning with a single and advanced to third with two outs before Utterback ended the inning with a strikeout.

The Golden Rams opened the fourth with a hit by pitch before a sacrifice bunt moved the leadoff runner into scoring position. Sagl then induced a pop-up and ground-out to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, the Vulcans drew a pair of walks before sophomore center fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) belted a three-run homer with two outs to break a scoreless tie, 3-0.

In the fifth, Sagl allowed a single and walk before freshman Haley Bashada (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) entered the game and the Golden Rams loaded the bases with a throwing error. Left fielder Megan Kelly then posted a grand slam before Sagl reentered the game and retired the next three batters to end the inning, 4-3. West Chester added to its lead with a run on a two-out throwing error in the sixth before scoring on a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Utterback prevented the Vulcans from threatening to score by retiring 10 of the last 11 batters she faced.

Sagl took a no-decision after yielding four runs (two earned) on five hits in 7.0 innings (111 pitches), while Bashada (7-3) suffered the loss after allowing the game-tying and go-ahead runs on the grand slam. Utterback (22-9) earned the complete-game victory after allowing three runs (all earned) on just two hits with eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings (109 pitches).

The Vulcans were limited to just two hits and committed three errors, which led to three unearned runs.

Cal U finished the season with three players in double-digit homers for the first time in program history, as Lia tied the single-season school record  with 14 homers and first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) tied the freshman school record with 13 homers. Sagl also became the program's first 20-game winner since 2000, as she finished with a 20-3 record and three saves as a true freshman.

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 - (4) West Chester d. (5) Lock Haven, 10-1 (resumed in top 4th)
Game 3 - (4) West Chester d. (1) California (Pa.), W 4-3
Game 4 - (5) Lock Haven d. (8) Chowan (N.C.), 10-2 (5 innings) (Chowan eliminated)
Game 5 - (5) Lock Haven vs. (1) California (Pa.), 9-1 (Lock Haven eliminated)

Sunday, May 12
Game 6 - (4) West Chester d. (1) California (Pa.), 6-3 (California (Pa.) eliminated)