• Box Score
• Photo Gallery

CALIFORNIA (May 9) – After being held scoreless through the opening three innings, the top-seeded Vulcans tallied nine runs over the next three innings to claim a 9-0 run-rule victory against eighth-seeded Winston-Salem State at Lilley Filed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the No. 12 California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 36-5 overall behind a 15-0 mark at home. The Vulcans will now face West Chester tomorrow, Saturday, May 10, at 10:30 a.m. Meanwhile, the Rams fall to 28-12 this season after winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) Tournament title to earn an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.

Winston-Salem State had a runner in scoring position in both the first and third innings, but was unable to take an early lead. In the bottom of the third, senior catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) attempted to score from first on a two-out single by junior shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central), who was tagged at second before Wideman crossed the plate.

After the Rams stranded a pair of base runners in the fourth, the Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by sophomore third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox), her fifth of the season. Winston-Salem State again had two runners on in the fifth before Cal U stretched the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the inning. Wideman started the inning with a double and eventually scored on a passed ball before Morris later registered an RBI single through the middle. The Vulcans eventually loaded the bases with no outs before the Rams recorded outs on a fielder's choice at home and strikeout. Sophomore left fielder Erica Vallecorsa (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) then delivered a two-out, two-run single to left field.

Winston-Salem State again left two runners on in the sixth before senior second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) clinched the run-rule victory in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer, her ninth of the year and 36th of her career.

Morris went 3-for4 with one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base in the victory. Senior designated player Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary), Lia and Wideman each collected two hits and scored two runs with Lia also adding two RBI. Vallecorsa tallied a pair of hits and RBI while hitting No. 8 in the lineup on Friday.

Sophomore Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontari/Oakville Trafalgar) tossed her sixth-complete game shutout of the season to improve to 24-3 this year. She scattered seven hits and issued three walks over 6.0 innings (107 pitches), while posting seven strikeouts. Sagl is the first pitcher with at least 24 victories in a season since Melissa Brooks finished with a 24-3 record in 2000. Rams starter Mercedes Hargett (14-7) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and one walk in 4.1 innings (88 pitches).

WSSU finished the game with 10 runners left on base, including five in scoring position, while never advancing a runner to third base.

The Vulcans return to action in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow when they face fourth-seeded West Chester at 10:30 a.m. The Golden Rams advanced with a 1-0 victory against fifth-seeded Bloomsburg after scoring the game's lone run on a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh

SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Friday, May 9
Game 1 - (1) California (Pa.) d. (8) Winston-Salem State, 9-0 (6 innings)
Game 2 - (4) West Chester d. (5) Bloomsburg, 1-0

Saturday, May 10
Game 3 - (1) California (Pa.) vs. (4) West Chester, 10:30 a.m.
Game 4 - (8) Winston-Salem State vs. (5) Bloomsburg, 1 p.m.
Game 5 - Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 11
Game 6 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (if necessary).