Cal aims to hand Dixie State pitcher 1st loss
If California University is going to win its opening-round game today against Dixie State in the NCAA Division II Women’s Softball Tournament in Oklahoma City, something is going to have to give.
California pitcher Alex Sagl hasn’t suffered a loss since dropping a 3-2 decision April 17 at Pitt-Johnstown, registering 18 victories in that span and leading the 21st-ranked Vulcans to the Atlantic Regional Championship.
Her counterpart, Michelle Duncan, has won all 29 of her decisions this season, helping fourth-ranked Dixie State, the Western Regional Champion, to a 49-7 record this season.
The game is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The matchup of Sagl (27-4) and Duncan figures to be the deciding factor between the two teams.
While Sagl, who has 263 strikeouts in 203 1/3 innings, is more of a power pitcher, Duncan relies more on her defense to get the job done.
Duncan has just 109 strikeouts in 192 innings and has given up 144 hits. Opponents are batting .205 against her as she has put together a 1.24 ERA. Sagl’s ERA is 1.27.
Duncan will face a California batting order that has compiled a .341 average, led by first baseman Lindsay Reicoff’s .401 average with 19 home runs and 52 RBI, all team highs.
Speedy centerfielder Janessa Bassett leads the Seawolves with a .468 average from the leadoff spot.
While Bassett has hit just two home runs this season, she has scored a team-high 78 runs and has 13 doubles and 11 triples among her 78 hits this season. Bassett also has stolen 44 bases.
California has 26 steals and five triples.
The winner of today’s game advances to play either Adelphi or Central Missouri at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the double-elimination tournament. The losers of those two games will play at 3:30 p.m. Friday in an elimination game.