Comeback Win Puts DSU Up 1-0 Against CSU Monterey Bay

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ST. GEORGE- There's nothing like a late-game comeback in sports.

The scene is- top of the seventh, trailing 4-0, down to three outs; which way does a team go? Dixie State faced this very situation, trailing Cal State Monterrey Bay late in game one of the NCAA Division II West Super-Regional.

How did Dixie respond? By scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning, and then scoring two runs in the eighth inning, as the Red Storm beat the Otters in game one of the best-of-three series, for the program's 25^th-consecutive victory.

Dixie State coach Randy Simkins said his team's game plan finally paid off in the latter innings.

"We did exactly what we wanted to do early in the game, but we just weren't able to put anything across," he said. "We stranded 14 runners, and the first four or five innings we stranded at least two each time. You knew hitting their pitching was going to be what we needed to do, and we were able to do it."

The Otters took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Courtney Varela scored on a sacrifice fly to left field. Monterrey Bay centerfielder Anneliese Lopez then hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Dixie continually stranded runners as the game carried on, until the fifth inning when the Storm's Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School) and Courtney Sherwin (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain High School) were on first and second with no outs. However, the Red Storm stranded both, with the Otters scoring another run in the sixth.

That set the stage for the seventh, as Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) led off with a single, followed by a Hine single. Then, Sherwin walked, and Mallory Paulson (Fruita, CO/Fruita Monument) singled to score Chavez. Junior Sheila Gelter (St. George, UT/Dixie High School) doubled to left field to score two more runs. Finally, third baseman Brooke Budge (Springville, UT/Springville High School) bunt single scored Paulson to tie the game at 4-4.

In the eighth inning, Hine left off with a double, and scored the game winner on a Sherwin double. Sherwin would score on a Paulson double, to give DSU the 6-4 lead.

Dixie's Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School) pitched all eight innings for the Red Storm, and earned the win to improve her record to 19-1 and lowered her ERA to 1.33. Cori Reinhardt took the loss for the Otters, falling to 21-8 on the season.

"They're a pretty good hitting team, and the wind was going out," Simkins said. "So, it's still kind of advantage Duncan, because she's a down-ball pitcher. Duncan (did) a great job."

Paulson and Hine each had three hits for DSU.

The two teams continue the best of three series tomorrow at 1 p.m. with the Red Storm tabbed as the home team in the opener.

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