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News releaseST. GEORGE -- A year after leading their Tooele team to a Utah high school championship, Lauren Folta and Kelsey Mendenhall paced Dixie State to a 7-2 win over California State-Stanislaus in the NCAA Division II Super Regional on Saturday.
With the win 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 both singled. After a fielder's choice by Jaki Hawkins, Katlyn Peters walked. Bailie Hicken 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 opened things with a single. Shantae Hunter, Ashley McFarland and Haley Schumers 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.
Game Two:
ST. GEORGE, Utah (NCAA) - Dixie State edged California State-Stanislaus 2-1 in the second game of the best-of-three NCAA Division II West Super Regional on Saturday.
Dixie State forced the second game as Lauren Folta outdueled Jessica Gaumnitz. Folta gave up five hits while Gaumnitz allowed just four.
The Red Storm took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Ashley McFarland homered with two outs and Dabney McIntyre aboard. Bailie Hicken had opened the inning with an infield single and McIntyre was safe on a force play.
Cal State-Stanislaus got its run in the second inning. Ashlee Genseal opened the inning with a walk. After an out, Kimiko Wright singled. Nikky Rissetto was then safe on a throwing error by Folta with Genseal coming home.
Gaumnitz shut down Dixie State over the final six innings, allowing just two hits. She struck out four and didn't walk anyone. The Warriors threatened in the third, fifth and sixth but Folta escaped each time.
The Warriors loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. Genseal opened with a single. Jennifer Arnold walked and Wright was safe on an infield hit. But Folta got Rissetto on a popout; DSC third baseman Haley Schumers snagged Britney Borba's line drive; and Alicia Reid was out when the Red Storm's Kelsey Mendenhall flagged down her foul popup.
Folta got the first two outs in the seventh, walked Meghan Franksen and then got pinch hitter Hailey Torba on another popup.
(Courtesy Dixie State)
