Julie Buchanan Photography

Softball 4/25/2011 10:54:38 PM Jeff Cluff, Coordinator of Internal Operations/Media Relations

SB: PacWest Champs!!! Red Storm Secure Share of the Title

Red Storm split series with Hilo, lose 4-1 and win 7-3

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BOX SCORE GM 1 | BOX SCORE GM 2

HILO, HI-The Dixie State College softball team secured a share of their first PacWest Conference Championship with a 7-3 victory over Hawaii-Hilo in game two. Hilo prevailed in game one 4-1.

Despite making an NCAA tournament appearance in each of the last two seasons, the conference title has eluded the Red Storm (33-12, 23-5 PWC).

In game two, Hawaii Hilo (26-12, 19-5 PWC) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, capitalizing on two Red Storm errors.

The Red Storm would respond when Johnna Brown (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial ) led the 2nd inning off with a single through the left side. Cassi Merrill (Calgary, Alberta/Foundations for the Future Charter Academy) followed with a single up the middle and Kylee Higgins (Layton. UT/Layton High School) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position.

Ryanne Dacosin (Kaneohe, HI/Castle High School) reached on an infield single to third base to load the bases. Jaelle Judkins (Saint George, UT/Dixie High School) extended her hitting streak to 14 games by picking up an infield RBI single to the shortstop.

Two batters later, Anna Cue (Murrieta Valley, CA/Murrieta Valley High School) extended her hitting streak to 12 games with a two RBI single to left field giving the Red Storm a 3-2 lead.

In the 4th inning, Judkins picked up her second hit, this time a bunt single. Breanna Egge (Las Vegas. NV/Centennial High School) followed with a two run home run to right centerfield.

Cue followed with a double off the right field fence and two batters later an Ashley McFarland (Layton. UT/Layton High School) single to center scored Cue from second base giving DSC a 6-2 lead.

In the 5th inning the Red Storm scored their final run when Judkins picked up her third hit, a single to right field scoring Merrill from second base.

Lauren Folta (Erda. UT/Tooele High School) picked up her 17th win of the year pitching five innings allowing only two hits and three runs. Mattie Snow (Tooele, UT/Tooele High School) pitched two quality innings in relief.

The Red Storm had 14 hits in the final game, with Judkins leading the way with three. Cue, Kelsey Mendenhall (Tooele. UT/Tooele High School), McFarland and Brown each added two hits.

In game one, Judkins and Egge led the game off with singles and Cue followed with an RBI single down the right field line giving the Red Storm an early 1-0 lead.

Folta pitched four and two thirds quality innings before a string of Vulcan hits chased her from the game. Brittnie Miller (Moab. UT/Grand High School) pitched an inning and a third in relief giving up one run and had six wild pitches.

A trio of Vulcan pitchers held the Red Storm to just five hits in the game and Cue was the only DSC player with multiple hits.

The Vulcans scored three runs in the fifth and added one in the sixth to secure the 4-1 victory.

With the completion of the regular season, DSC will have to wait for the outcome of the Hawaii Pacific and UHH series on Saturday April 30th. With a series split, DSC will win the automatic birth and the PacWest title outright. If either team sweeps, then DSC will share the title with that team and the tiebreakers will determine who gets the automatic birth.

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