NCAA Division II Softball West 1 Regional Tournament Central
Postgame Press Conference  |  Video Highlights

SEASIDE, Calif. -- After a remarkable run to make it to the Division II NCAA West 1 Region championship, which included two wins in elimination games on Friday, the Sonoma State softball team's season came to an end Saturday afternoon with a 7-4 loss in a rematch against No. 23 Dixie State.

The Seawolves finish the 2017 season with a record of 38-20, while the Trailblazers will advance to the NCAA Division II West Super Regional next weekend against Humboldt State in Arcata.

For the postgame press conference featuring head coach Jennifer Bridges with seniors Leanna Georges, Emma Ryan and Alison Strycula, click HERE.
 
Needing to win two games on the day to advance, Sonoma started off on the right foot to begin the day. In the first inning, Karly Macadangdang was alert on the base paths, stealing home on a double steal to score the first run of the day. Sarah Langley then added onto the lead with a two out RBI single up the middle, knocking in Jordann White. It was just the start the Seawolves were looking for to build momentum.
 
However, that lead would be short lived as SSU would not get the shutdown inning they envisioned. After throwing a complete game yesterday, Brigid Ruiz got the nod again and ran into some trouble in the second inning. She gave up four hits in the inning, including a RBI double, and a two RBI single to give the Trailblazers a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
 
Gabby Dupree would replace Ruiz the following inning and the score would remain the same for the next few innings. However, in the fifth inning, the first three batters would reach base on a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles, setting up Arista Honey with the bases loaded and nobody out. Honey delivered in a big way for the Trailblazers, hitting a grand slam to increase the lead to 7-2—a gut punch for the Seawolves.
 
Sonoma would not go down without a fight, though. The Seawolves began to chip away in the bottom of the fifth after Jenny Collazo knocked in Alison Strycula on a RBI triple. Sonoma would get one more run in the sixth inning on a RBI single by Jenn Amaral, scoring Langley in the process. The Seawolves threatened for more runs later in the frame, loading the bases against Brooklyn Beardshear, but Dixie decided to go to Alexis Barkwell, and Barkwell induced the inning-ending flyout to Macadangdang after the two battled through an eight-pitch at bat. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Collazo would attempt to start a rally with a leadoff double, but to no avail. The next three batters would all groundout to end the game, and end the remarkable 2017 season with a 7-4 loss.
 
Ruiz got charged with the loss and a line of two innings pitched, three earned runs, and six hits. Dupree finished the game pitching the final five innings, giving up four earned runs, four hits, and two walks. As a team, the Seawolves tallied nine hits, including three from Collazo, and two from Langley.
 
Unfortunately, the 2017 season comes to an end for the Sonoma State softball team, but not before a valiant run. They finish the year with a record of 38-20, and went 26-14 in the CCAA.