CALIFORNIA (May 10) – Behind a pair of complete-games from junior
Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar), the top-seeded and No. 21 Vulcans advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time since 2010 by posting two one-run victories, 1-0 and 3-2, against fourth-seeded Charleston (W.Va.) on Sunday afternoon, both while facing elimination.
With the wins, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 39-11 overall behind an 8-0 record in elimination games this post-season. The Vulcans, who have posted their most wins since 2000, will now face second-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan in a best-of-three series next weekend, starting Friday, May 15. Meanwhile, Charleston falls to 38-14 this year after making the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Sagl improves to 25-4 this season after earning both victories against the Golden Eagles. She allowed a combined two runs (both earned) on six hits and seven walks, while tossing all 14.0 innings on Sunday. Sagl finished with a combined 255 pitches and registered 19 strikeouts over the two complete games.
In Game 1 on Sunday, Sagl tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout with four walks and nine strikeouts over 7.0 innings (125 pitches). She forced the Golden Eagles to leave six runners on base, including four in scoring position. Charleston senior Courtney Fain (20-8) suffered the loss after allowing one run (earned) on five hits and four walks in 6.0 innings (128 pitches).
The Vulcans left runners on second and third in the bottom of the first before threatening again in the third. Sophomore right fielder
Kaity Finley (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) led off the inning with a single and junior first baseman
Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) later drew a walk. Following a strikeout, freshman center fielder
Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) lined a two-out single to right field before Finley was thrown out at home attempting to score from second for the final out of the inning.
In the fifth, freshman shortstop
Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) delivered a solo homer to right field with two outs, her eighth of the year. Reicoff was then intentionally walked before advancing to third on a single by junior third baseman
Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox). Fowler again nearly plated a run before the Charleston second baseman threw Fowler out after going deep in the hole and in shallow right field.
The Golden Eagles managed their only hit of the game on a leadoff single in the top of the sixth before Sagl again worked out of the inning without allowing a run.
Smarra collected two of the team's five hits, finishing 2-for-3, while Price belted her second homer of the post-season.
In the decisive game of the weekend, Sagl yielded two runs (both earned) on five hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings (130 pitches). Charleston freshman Jessie Rowe (11-6) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits and three walks in 2.1 innings (64 pitches). Fain returned to the circle and worked 4.2 innings of relief (84 pitches), surrendering one run (earned) and tallying seven strikeouts.
The Vulcans stranded two runners on base in both the first and second before taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Price reached on a leadoff single and later advanced to third when Smarra reached on a fielder's choice. Fowler and freshman designated player
Hailey Wilson (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy) collected back-to-back RBI singles before Fain entered in relief and retired the next two batters. Cal U added to the lead in the fourth with a leadoff solo homer by freshman left fielder
Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central), her first of the year, before leaving runners on the corners.
In the bottom of the fifth, Charleston opened the inning with a double before Sagl kept the runner at second with a ground-out and line-out, both to the left side of the infield, before striking out the final batter of the inning. The Vulcans threatened to increase the lead in the sixth after Price opened the inning with a double and Reicoff was intentionally walked. Fain retired the next two batters before Wilson followed with what appeared to be a two-run double with two outs. However, Charleston appealed the play and the runs were negated, as Wilson was never officially reentered into the game after leaving for a pinch-runner in the fifth.
The Golden Eagles capitalized on the momentum by scoring two runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and fielder's choice before Sagl preserved the lead, 3-2, by ending the inning with a strikeout. In the bottom of the seventh, Sagl retired Charleston in order, each via strikeout, to secure a berth to the NCAA Super Regionals.
Price and Smarra each finished 2-for-4 with one run scored and Wilson went 2-for-2. Reicoff was walked a combined six times (five intentionally) in seven plate appearances on Sunday. She finished with just five at-bats in five games over the weekend after being walked 13 times.
Cal U returns to action this weekend when it hosts West Virginia Wesleyan in the NCAA Super Regionals, which is a best-of-three series, on May 15-16. The Vulcans opened the regular season with a 7-3 victory over the Bobcats on March 7 in Florida.
