ST. GEORGE, Utah (NCAA) – A year after leading their Tooele team to a Utah high school championship, Lauren Folta (Erda. UT/Tooele High School) and Kelsey Mendenhall (Tooele. UT/Tooele High School) paced Dixie State to a 7-2 win over California State-Stanislaus in the NCAA Division II Super Regional on Saturday.

With the win No. 19 Dixie State earned a trip to the national tournament in Salem, Va., May 21-25.

 “There's a big difference between high school and college,” Folta said. “In college every single game is so intense. To win this is so great, so amazing.”

Mendenhall agreed. “I don't think there's a comparison (between the two championships). Going on with the chance to win a national championship, there's nothing that can compare to that at all.”

Mendenhall's two-run double was the key blow in a five-run fifth inning as the Red Storm (41-11) blew the game open. Folta scattered seven hits and struck out five, including the Warriors' Ashlee Genseal for the final out of the game.

Meghan Franksen gave the Warriors (35-21) a 2-0 lead with her home run in the first inning. Erica McIntyre was safe on an error to open the inning. Alyssa Guzman hit into a fielder's choice before Franksen's hit.

 Dixie State closed with two runs in the second inning. Mendenhall and Breanna Egge (Las Vegas. NV/Centennial High School) both singled. After a fielder's choice by Jaki Hawkins (Lakewood. WA/Lakes High School), Katlyn Peters walked. Bailie Hicken (Cedar Hills. UT/Lone Peak High School) was then safe on an error with both runs coming home.

Dixie State capitalized on five hits and three Cal State-Stanislaus errors for its big inning. Dabney McIntyre (Taylorsville. UT/Taylorsville High School) opened things with a single. Shantae Hunter (Idaho Falls. ID/Idaho Falls High School), Ashley McFarland (Layton. UT/Layton High School) and Haley Schumers (Plain City. UT/Freemont High School) followed with singles to drive home two runs. Mendenhall 's double brought home two more. The final run came home when Egge was safe on an error.

The Warriors had two runners aboard in each of the final three innings, but each time Folta got out of trouble.

“We couldn't get the hit when we wanted and that was unlucky because we had been doing a great job the last two weeks,” said Cal State-Stanislaus coach Jan Schlefkowitz.

Instead, Dixie State was the team that got the key hits.

“We get one person hitting and we all follow that,” McFarland said.

Dixie State finished with eight hits. Hunter and Mendenhall each had two.

Folta pitched 14 innings as she also won the first game 2-1, outdueling Cal State-Stanislaus' Jessica Gaumnitz.

“I'm a little tired,” Folta said. “I'm going to go home and put my arm in a big thing of ice.”

All three Red Storm players said they expected to win when they came to the ball park in the morning.

“We came in confident,” said McFarland. “We knew we weren't going to lose to this team twice on our field.” Cal State-Stanislaus won Friday's opening game 5-1.

Although the Red Storm was the host team, it was the designated visitor in both games.

The Red Storm enter the NCAA Division II College World Series for the first time in school history as the program is in its first year of championship eligibility after entering the NCAA in 2007 and serving two provisional seasons.

Dixie State will travel on Tuesday to Salem, Virginia and will open up against No. 1 North Georgia (48-3) on Thursday at 2pm (EST). Click here www.odaconline.com/d2softball/ to view the oficial website of the NCAA College Softball Championship. Update (5/18/09) To view bracket go to www.ncaa.com/brackets/2009/ncaa_bracket_DII_softball.html for updates throughout the tournament.