BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GAME 1: Dixie State 3, Sonoma State 1 -- Box Score | Video Replay
GAME 2: Sonoma State 7, Dixie State 6 -- Box Score | Video Replay: Part 1 - Part 2

ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State softball team gave up three unanswered runs in a 3-1 loss in game one before rallying from a two-run deficit late in game two to win 7-6 and force a split with Dixie State in a non-conference doubleheader on Monday afternoon at the Seawolf Softball Field in Rohnert Park. 

The Seawolves improve to 17-11 this season while the Red Storm, who were receiving votes in last week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, moved to 23-8.

Aubrie Tolliver supplied the only run for Sonoma State in the opener with her first career home run, an opposite-field solo shot in the second inning.

In its next at bat, Dixie State's Courtney Hine smashed an RBI double to knot the game at 1-1, then delivered a two-run single in her next at bat in the fifth inning to bring home all three Red Storm runs in the victory.  Both teams pounded out seven hits -- Hine had three of the seven for DSU while Hayley Condon and Tolliver combined for four for the seven for SSU.

Amanda Llerena took the complete-game loss in game one, faling to 10-7 on the year despite fanning a season-high 10 Red Storm batters.  Her counterpart, Dixie's Aryn Feickert, walked one and struck out two, giving up just the one run.

In the nightcap, Amanda Rossetta brought home three runs, two of which came from a bases-loaded single that hit off the top of the wall in left field, part of a three-run first inning after SSU starter Melissa Smith allowed four runs in the top half of the first without an out being recorded.  Keisi Chinen got the Seawolves within one run at 4-3 by scoring on a throwing error by Dixie State to cap a combined seven-run first inning for both teams.

The Seawolves then knotted the game up at four on an Ashley Long infield RBI single scoring Holly Brown, who led off the inning with a double.

Dixie State regained the lead at 5-4 in the third on a fielding error by Sonoma State, then increased the lead to 6-4 in the fifth on another error by the Seawolf defense.  However, the hosts continued to chip away and an RBI single by Chinen in the bottom of the fifth got SSU within one run again at 6-5.  Then, in the sixth, a bases loaded walk to Chinen and a bases loaded RBI groundout by Rossetta put the Seawolves on top 7-6 and held on to force the doubleheader split.

Bihl earned the victory in the circle in game two after relieving Smith with no outs in the top of the first inning.  She went on to scatter seven hits and allowed two unearned runs in her seven complete innings of work, striking out five to improve to 3-1 this season.  Dixie State's Feickert suffered the loss in game two after allowing the go-ahead run to score in her two innings of work at the end of the day.  She took both pitching decisions for the Red Storm on Monday, moving to 11-6 on the year.

Sonoma State will continue its non-conference schedule on Wednesday when it plays host to Pace University, an NCAA Division II instutition out of Pleasantville, NY.  The doubleheader between the Seawolves and Setters is scheduled for a Noon start time.