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Cheetah scores under tag
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9
Winner Dixie State DX-SB 47-7
3
California Baptist CBU 42-11
Winner
Dixie State DX-SB
47-7
9
Final
3
California Baptist CBU
42-11
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Dixie State DX-SB 0 0 3 0 5 0 1 9 10 1
California Baptist CBU 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 6 1

W: Duncan, Michelle (27-0) L: Kesterson, Loie (22-7)

Game Recap: Softball | | John Potter, Media Relations Assistant

Dixie State softball heads back to the Super Regionals

Saturday's 9-3 win over CBU wins the West 2 title for the Storm

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Dixie State softball, the No. 4 team in the country and the No. 2 seed in the West Region, defeated California Baptist 9-3 on Saturday afternoon to win the 2015 NCAA West 2 Regional. The Red Storm advances to next weekend's NCAA Super Regional (May 15-16).
 
With the win, Dixie State improves to 47-7 on the season and advances to the Super Regionals for the second consecutive year.
 
DSU head coach Randy Simkins started senior Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School), the Pacific West Conference Pitcher of the Year, in the circle. Unlike the jams she encountered against the Lancers (42-11) on Friday, Duncan was dialed in over the first four innings. She allowed one hit and struck out two before allowing a run in the fifth inning.
 
"Early (it) turned into what I thought it would be, a pitcher's duel," said Simkins. "Not a whole lot a hits."
 
Momentum swung in the Storm's favor in the third inning with four extra-base hits, beginning with a line drive double to left field from senior Sheila Gelter (St. George, UT/Dixie High School).  
 
"I think Sheila kind of changed the complexion of the game with the first hit," Simkins added. "(She) barreled one up and sent it to the fence. We had three really hard hits after that and that was huge."
 
Freshman outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, UT/Stansbury Park) knocked in the game's first run with a triple to left center field. On the very next pitch, senior Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) sent a laser beam over the wall in left field for a two-run home run and a 3-0 DSU lead.
 
Duncan faced only one batter over the minimum in the CBU third and fourth innings, setting up the Storm for another big inning.
 
Bassett drew a walk against Loie Kesterson, the PacWest Newcomer of the Year, and stole second before a Chavez groundout sent the speedster to third. Senior outfielder Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School) beat out a slow roller to third to set up runners at the corners with one out. DSU decided to play small ball with one of their power bats, senior catcher Marla Reiter (Rolinda, CA/Central High School), who laid down a squeeze bunt right in front of the plate. Bassett sped down the line and slid underneath the tag of the CBU catcher to put Dixie State ahead 4-0. Senior Courtney Sherwin (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain High School) reached base safely on an error to reload the bases. The lead extended to 5-0 when sophomore Mallory Paulson (Fruita, CO/Fruita Monument)'s ground ball plated Hine just before a force out at the plate. Junior designated player Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, UT/Davis High School) supplied the power swing of the frame, lining a 2-0 pitch into left center for a three-run double.
 
California Baptist scored a run on a double in the fifth inning and put two more runners on base with one out. Simkins decided to make a pitching change to junior Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, CA/Highland ).
 
"Duncan has just phenomenal numbers against Cal Baptist," Simkins said. "I had full confidence, no matter who we started. Whether we started Aryn and brought in Duncan at the end or started Duncan and brought in Aryn, they both had really good opponent's batting average numbers against Cal Baptist."
 
Feickert backup up her coach's confidence by getting a called strike three and fly ball down the left field line to end the Lancer threat after scoring just one run.
 
"I told her (Aryn) 'I've never been prouder of you," Simkins said. "Because that's a really tough situation with really tough hitters."
 
Cal Baptist added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth when a line drive with two outs just sailed over the glove of Sherwin in left field.
 
Chavez cashed in an insurance run with a RBI single in the top of the seventh, scoring sophomore Josey Hartman (Mapleton, UT/Maple Mountain).
 
The Lancers got the lead off runner aboard in the bottom of the last inning. After a fielder's choice, Feickert got an infield pop up off the bat of Kailey Willingham to Chavez. The senior fired a throw to first to double off the base runner to end the game.
 
Duncan earned the win to improve to 27-0 on the season. Kesterson took the loss (22-7) surrendering eight runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
 
Dixie State is now 22-13 in NCAA Tournament play, as the Red Storm is in the postseason for the seventh consecutive year. DSU has now advanced to the Super Regionals for a third time (2009, 2014, 2015).
 
More information on the Super Regional will be available on DixieAthletics.com once the West 1 Regional in Seaside, Calif. ends on Sunday. The region's top-seed, Cal State Monterey Bay, was eliminated on Saturday, so Dixie State will host the best-of-three Super Regional series on Friday, May 15.
 
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