ST. GEORGE, Utah – A lightning storm halted play for nearly two hours during the Chico State softball team's opening game of the NCAA West Regional, but long before the stoppage the Cal Baptist Lancers provided plenty of thunder, scoring three runs in the second inning and four more in the fourth to cruise to an 8-1 victory over the Wildcats Thursday at Karl Brooks Field on the campus of Dixie State.
The defeat put sixth-seeded Chico State (28-21 on the season) in a "win or go home" position, as the Wildcats moved to the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament. The 'Cats will play Friday at 12:30 p.m. Pacific time, facing No. 7 seed Saint Martin's, which lost its first round game Thursday to No. 2 Dixie State 7-5. Chico State now needs to win four straight games to win the West Regional and advance to next week's NCAA West Super Regional. A Wildcat loss on either Friday or Saturday will signal the end of Chico State's 2015 season.
Things started encouragingly for Chico State, as the Wildcats opened the scoring in the top of the first. Despite three hits in the inning, the Wildcats still needed a two-out error to push across the game's first run – after Ashley Huff was thrown out at the plate on a Tori Zimmermann single, Emily McEnaney shot a base hit through the middle. Zimmermann stopped at third, but immediately broke for the plate when Cal Baptist shortstop Krista Mann bobbled the relay throw. Zimmermann slid in under the catcher's tag to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead.
Cal Baptist broke through in the bottom of the second inning – a bases-loaded double by Shannon Miller plated two, and a Krista Mann infield single scored Jordan Mowatt from third to put the Lancers on top 3-1.
Cal Baptist added another run in the bottom of the third, and Lancers starting pitcher Loie Kesterson shook off her shaky first inning to hold the Wildcats to just one hit through the fourth. Cal Baptist, meanwhile, continued to add to its lead, plating four big runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 8-1.
Light sprinkles had been occurring throughout the game, but with Cal Baptist due to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, both teams – as well as fans and game staff – were instructed to evacuate Karl Brooks Field when a lightning storm moved to within six miles of the facility. After a delay of an hour and 51 minutes, the Wildcats and Lancers were allowed to resume play.
With just one inning to try to harness the storm's energy, the Wildcats didn't have enough time – or outs – to mount an electric comeback. A walk and two wild pitches got Kelli Keefe to third base in the top of the seventh, but she was thrown out trying to score when a pitch that walked Courtney Brown went to the backstop. Kesterson got pinch-hitter Katy Weger to ground out to second to end it, giving Cal Baptist the 8-1 victory and vaulting the Lancers (41-9) in Friday's winner's bracket game.
Fans can follow all remaining Chico State games in the NCAA West Regional online via Live Stats and live streaming video, both available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
