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Toros Storm Into Super Regional With Dramatic 7-2 Win Over No. 24 Dixie State

The scoreboards and smiles say it all as the Toros advance to the Super Regionals for the second-straight year
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ST. GEORGE, Utah - Red Storm pitcher Michelle Duncan set the table for junior slugger Adriana Sanchez by hitting Alyssa Cruz-Fernandez on a 2-1 offering to load the bases, and Sanchez made Dixie State pay with a grand slam to left center field to cap a 7-running 5th and send the Toros into next weekend's NCAA Super Regional, where they will battle 5th-ranked Humboldt State in a best-of-three series on Toro Diamond in Carson, with the survivor heading to the NCAA Championships in Salem, Virginia.

This dramatic win came after the Toros lost a 15-inning marathon by a 3-1 count, and after the host Red Storm scored the first two runs of the nightcap to take a 2-0 lead heading into the decisive 5th inning of play.

Lauren Harper picked up the complete-game win, fanning eight batters against just two walks.

Here's the postgame press conference featuring (L-R) Stephanie Jimenez, head coach Jim Maier, Lauren Harper and Adriana Sanchez.



Using momentum from game one's marathon win, Dixie State's Anna Cue belted a 1-1 Harper offering over the left center field fence with a runner on to give DSC a 2-0 lead.

That looked to be plenty for Duncan, who held the Toros to just two hits over the first four innings of play, and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 1st after two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases to keep the game scoreless.

The offensive drought for the Toros came to an end in the 5th after a Veronica Vazquez and Christina Chavez double began the inning's rally.

After a ground out, Brittany Brenner reached on a throwing error to plate the first run for CSUDH, with a Jasmine Ruiz squeeze tying the game at 2-2 one batter later.

Daisy Beltran then connected for an RBI single to short and stole a base to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with two out.

Cruz-Fernandez then stepped to the plate with Sanchez on deck, causing Duncan to become a bit too fine with her pitches.

Faced with a 2-1 count, a would-be inside corner offering ran up on Cruz-Fernandez and plunked her, setting the stage for Sanchez's dramatics.

Working the count to 2-2, Sanchez unloaded a no-doubter deep over the left center field fence to complete the scoring, and take all the wind out of DSC's sails.

Harper did the rest, fanning three of the final six batters she faced in her first appearance in the NCAA postseason to send the Toros to their second-consecutive NCAA Super Regional.

The opener was a battle of wills, reaching the 15th inning after the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie after regulation.

The Toros looked as if they would take the contest in 7.0 innings after taking a 1-0 lead in the 4th on a Jasmine Ruiz infield single that plated Vazquez with the game's first run.

DSC, however, replied in its final at-bat as a Marla Reiter double brought home Anna Cue, who singled to lead off the frame.

The two teams played another 7.0 innings before DSC decided it in the 15th with a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly and a RBI double for an insurance run as Jimenez took the loss after tossing a career-high 15 innings of work.

No. 5 Humboldt State took 5-of-6 from the Toros this year, including a win to open the CCAA Tournament.


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