SAINT GEORGE, UT-Sophomore pitcher Lauren Folta helped Dixie State College softball team win 9-0 in five innings and returned to her winning ways in the second game of a doubleheader with University of Hawaii Hilo today at Karl Brooks Field.
Folta went five strong innings allowing no runs on six hits and struck out four Vulcan batters.
The Red Storm (10-8, 5-4 PWC) jumped on top in the 2nd inning when Bree Egge lead off the inning with a solo shot to right center field giving DSC the 1-0 lead.
In the top of the 3rd inning Bailie Hicken would single to right center field and steal second base on the next pitch. Shantae Hunter would walk and then Ashley McFarland would sacrifice bunt Hunter and Hicken to second and third base.
Kelsey Mendenhall would strike out looking for the second out of the inning and bring to bat freshman Anna Cue. Cue would battle through seven pitches and launch a 3-2 fastball down the right field line for a 3-run home run. Dixie State would lead 4-0.
The Red Storm would load the bases again in the 4th inning but only manage one run on a Hunter bases loaded walk that score Johnna Brown.
Cue picked up her second hit of the day with a lead off single followed by an Egge walk. Brown, the PacWest Women’s Basketball Freshman of Year, would pick up her second hit of the game and fourth of the weekend loading the bases.
After a Vulcan (21-8, 17-7 PWC) pitching change, Cassie Merrill would hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Cue. Kourtnie Schlacter would walk loading the bases again. Hunter would collect an RBI single two batters later. Capping off the scoring, Mendenhall would draw a bases loaded walk, giving the Red Storm a 9-0 lead and hang on for the run-rule shortened game.
In game one despite collecting 11 hits and scoring seven runs, the Red Storm pitchers couldn’t hold the Vulcans at bay. UHH scored nine runs on 12 hits at would collect 5 walk in the game as they put a five spot up in the 3rd frame.
The Red Storm would battle back and take a seven six lead in the fifth frame on an Egge RBI single and a Brown 2RBI single. But, it wasn’t enough because the Vulcans battled back for three runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
One bright spot for the Red Storm, McFarland collected three hits in game one.
The Red Storm will host Chaminade University on Monday at 3:00 PM and Tuesday at 4:00 PM. Both days the teams are slated to play doubleheaders.
NOTE: In the Pacific West Athletic Conference the softball coaches voted to have the second day of the doubleheader the home team be the visiting team on the scoreboard. This allows both teams a chance to be the home team twice. This is due to scheduling that does not allow both teams to host home games.