Archived Audio Broadcast
Box Score: Sonoma State 3, Dixie State 2 (8 innings)

KANEOHE, Hawai'i- Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Megan Konieczka tied the game up at 2-2 with a RBI single, then Ali Palermo singled up the middle with the bases loaded in the eighth to bring home the winning run, giving Sonoma State the thrilling 3-2 victory over Dixie State on Friday at Howard A. Okita Field in Kaneohe, Hawai'i. With the victory, the Seawolves (37-20) will move on to face Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday at 2 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time (11 a.m. Hawaiian-Aleutian Standard Time).

In Friday's NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament action, all four CCAA schools defeated their opponents. Cal State San Bernardino defeated defending national champion and host Hawai'i Pacific, 3-2, in eight innings, and, in the Chico sub-regional, UC San Diego knocked off Central Washington, 2-1, and Chico State dispatched Western Washington, 3-1.

Prior to the seventh inning, Sonoma State had just one hit the enitre ballgame off Dixie State's Lauren Folta; a double by Skylynn Myers in the sixth. Facing a possible first round loss, the Seawolves began their comeback in the bottom of the seventh, all with two outs. Brittanie Verissimo singled to left field and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. Konieczka, who pinch-hit for Jesse Talaugon, poked a seeing-eye single through the right side, allowing Verissimo to slide in underneath the ensuing tag at home plate to knot the game at 2-2.

After SSU starting pitcher Samantha Lipperd surrendered only a hit in the top of the eighth, the Seawolf bats came alive in the bottom of the inning on two straight singles by Myers and Rochelle Vanyi. Brittany Martinez then reached on a fielder's choice, a bunt that was picked up by Folta and she turned to try and get the lead runner in Myers out. But Myers beat the throw and the bases became loaded, all with no outs. That's when Palermo hit her soft groundball up the middle to bring home the winning run in Myers.

Prior to the thrilling extra inning heroics, Sonoma State scored the first run of the game on a suicide squeeze bunt by Vanessa Currie, scoring Danielle Lowe from third. SSU led 1-0 until Dixie State got their first run in the third. Anna Cue tripled to right field, then came home on an illegal pitch call, which knotted the game at 1-1.

Ashley McFarland then gave the Red Storm the 2-1 lead on a solo, leadoff home run in the fourth. It set up the seventh inning in which Sonoma State made things interesting.

The Seawolves totaled six hits in the final two innings, led by the two hits of Myers. Lipperd (26-8) got the victory, allowing six hits, two runs, four walks while striking out ten.

Folta (17-8) allowed seven hits, three runs, two walks and struckout four. McFarland had two hits, including the solo shot in the fourth.

Sonoma State will face CCAA-rival Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday at 2 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time (11 a.m. Hawaiian-Aluetian Standard Time). The winner will advance to Championship Sunday for the right to advance to the Super Regional tournament next weekend. The loser will face the winner of the Hawai'i Pacific/Dixie State, which begins at 4:30 p.m. PDT.