BOX SCORE No. 5 Seed Sonoma State 1, No. 4 Seed Chico State 0  --  Box Score

CARSON, Calif. -- Vanessa Currie smashed a leadoff home run in the top of the sixth inning and it would be the only run to cross the plate in the game as the fifth-seeded Sonoma State softball team held on for a narrow 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded Chico State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II West 1 Regional in Carson. 

The Seawolves (36-17) have now won nine straight games and will advance to the winners bracket, facing top-seed and host Cal State Dominguez Hills (42-13) on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.  The Wildcats drop to 35-17 on the year and will play a loser-out game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against Grand Canyon (34-20).

Currie's solo home run in the sixth broke up a no-hitter by Chico State's Sam Baker and the only other hit by Sonoma State came on a double by Megan Konieczka in the seventh.

Meanwhile, Samantha Lipperd (31-10) earned her 16th shutout of the season and extended her shutout streak to 40.1 innings, a new school record.  She allowed five hits and four walks, while striking out seven.  Lipperd earned the victory, but not without some resistance from the Wildcat lineup. Chico State loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, but Lipperd induced a fly out and struckout two more to end the threat, leaving the bases jammed.

Despite the fact that Sonoma State didn't record a hit until Currie's home run in the sixth, the Seawolves were able to put two runners on base in each of the second (two walks) and in the fourth (a walk and a hit by pitch) innings, but the runners would not advance beyond second base in either frame.  The only other threat offensively came on a two-out double by Konieczka in the seventh, but Chico State got Danielle D'Eccliss to flyout to end the inning.

Meanwhile, only one Wildcat would reach base in the first three frames against Lipperd until they were able to load the bases on a double, a walk and a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt, all with no outs.  Lipperd then struck out McEnaney, got Sam Quadt to fly out, then fanned Rachel Failla to end what ended up being the best offensive chance for Chico State the rest of the way.  Five Wildcats would reach base during their final three at bats, but none would advance beyond second base.

Chico State's Baker (18-6) allowed just two hits, one run and four walks, while striking out nine Seawolves in the Wildcat loss.  Bianca Lopez had two of the five Chico hits in the ballgame to highlight CSUC's offense.

Sonoma State is now just one win away from reaching Sunday's sub-regional championship game, but first, the Seawolves will play host Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday, first pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

In the NCAA Division II Softball West 2 Regional in Seaside, No. 3 seed Dixie State knocked off No. 6 seed UC San Diego, 3-2, and No. 2 seed Cal State Monterey Bay blew out No. 7 seed Montana State Billings, 12-4 in six innings.

NCAA Division II Softball West 1 Regional at Carson, Calif.
Carson Sub-Regional Tournament Central

Friday, May 4
Game 1:  (5) Sonoma State 1, (4) Chico State 0  --  Box Score
Game 2:  (1) Cal State Dominguez Hills 1, (8) Grand Canyon 0  --  Box Score

Saturday, May 5
Game 3:  (1) Cal State Dominguez Hills vs. (5) Sonoma State  --  11:00 am  --  Live Stats | Live Audio
Game 4:  (4) Chico State vs. (8) Grand Canyon -- 1:30 pm
Game 5:  Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3 -- 4:00 pm

Sunday, May 6
Game 6:  Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 -- 12:00 pm
Game 7 (if necessary) -- 2:30 pm