OKLAHOMA CITY (May 21) – The No. 21 Vulcans recorded a triple play on Thursday evening at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, but were limited to just two hits while opening the NCAA National Championships with a 1-0 loss to No. 4 Dixie State, the West Region Champions.
With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team falls to 41-12 overall and will play an elimination game on Saturday, May 23, against Central Missouri at 3:30 p.m. EST. Meanwhile, Dixie State improves to 50-7 and will face Adelphi tomorrow, Friday, May 22, in the winner's bracket.
Junior
Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) and Dixie State senior Michelle Duncan, both National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, scattered a combined eight hits and two walks in the pitchers' duel. Sagl suffered her first loss since April 17 after allowing one run (earned) on six hits and one walk in 7.0 innings (105 pitches). Duncan (30-0), the lone undefeated pitcher in NCAA Division II, allowed only four total base runners and registered seven strikeouts in the two-hit, complete-game shutout (110 pitches).
Sagl opened the game with a strikeout before the Red Storm had runners on the corners following back-to-back singles in the top of the first. Dixie State then executed a squeeze play with junior third baseman
Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) fielding the ball and throwing to sophomore catcher Meghan Jahoda, who tagged out the runner attempting to score. Sagl then induced a ground-out to Smarra to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, freshman shortstop
Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) reached on an infield single and Smarra later drew a two-out walk before Duncan ended the threat with a strikeout.
The Vulcans again threatened the bottom of the second with freshman designated player
Hailey Wilson (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy) leading off the inning with a single and advancing to third following a sacrifice bunt and ground-out. However, Duncan again kept the game scoreless with an inning-ending strikeout.
In the top of the third, Dixie State opened the inning with a single by shortstop Josie Hartman and center fielder Janessa Bassett reached safely on a fielder's choice bunt. Sagl and the Vulcans then worked out of the inning with a triple play on a fly-ball to shallow right field. Sophomore right fielder
Kaity Finley (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) charged in to make the catch and threw to junior first baseman
Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) to force out Bassett. Reicoff then threw to Price covering second to force out Hartman.
The Red Storm plated the only run of the game in the fifth when Bassett, the NFCA Freshman of the Year and a NFCA First-Team All-American, belted a two-out triple to the center-field wall to score the runner from first. On the previous play, freshman center fielder
Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) ranged deep into right-center to make a catch for the second out of the inning.
Reicoff snapped a streak of 14-straight batters retired by Duncan when she reached second on a dropped flyball with two outs in the sixth. However, Duncan closed the game by getting the next four batters out in order.
Cal U is idle tomorrow before returning to action on Saturday with an elimination game against Central Missouri at a field adjacent to Hall of Fame Stadium, starting at 3:30 p.m. EST. The Jennies out of the Central Region suffered a 4-1 loss on Thursday night.
Notes:The Vulcans have posted a combined 8-0 record in elimination games this post-season … Dixie State boast four NFCA All-Americans, which is tied for the most in NCAA Division II … Cal U was previously twice limited to two hits in a game this season … With the start, Sagl joined former All-American Danielle Penner as the only pitchers in school history with at least 100 career appearances … The Vulcans hold an 11-8 all-time record at the national championships
