No. 12 Toros Softball Advances to Championship Game of “Mountain Dew Classic” But Fall to No. 3 Humboldt State, 2-0
CSUDH defeats UCSD and WNMU to reach championship contest
April 24, 2005

Complete Box Scores
vs. UC San Diego    vs. Western New Mexico    vs. Humboldt State

Bakersfield, CA --- Cal State Dominguez Hills shut out both UC San Diego (4-0) and Western New Mexico (2-0) to reach the championship game of the “Mountain Dew Classic,” but suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of No. 3-ranked Humboldt State as the tournament pitting the top teams from the Far West Region, hosted by Cal State Bakersfield, came to a close this afternoon.

With the two wins, including the All-Tournament selections of Crystal Dingman (Sunland, CA/Verdugo HS/College of the Canyons) and Kate Groden (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/SE Missouri Univ.), the Toros improve to 42-9 on the season.

In the early game against the Tritons, Jackie Miller’s (Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS/CS Stanislaus) pitching and Dingman’s hitting proved a potent combination as CSUDH scored three runs in the decisive 3rd inning, eventually taking the 4-0 win. Dingman provided the big offensive blow, slugging a bases-loaded double to right field to clear the bases for the early lead. Miller handled the rest, throwing a complete-game 5-hitter to improve to 16-3 on the year, and advancing the Toros to the semi-final match-up against Western New Mexico.

Against the Mustangs, the Toros scored single runs in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to account for the scoring, while senior Valerie Long (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s HS) shut down the WNMU offense, scattering three hits while fanning 11 batters. Groden led the offense with a 3-for-3 day, including a triple, while Miller tallied the lone RBI on the day with a 3rd-inning double, one inning after a wild pitch plated Jennifer Funk (Long Beach, CA/St. Joseph HS/San Diego State), for the game’s first run.

The championship game versus Humboldt State quickly became the game of the tournament, if not the year. Both Toros starter Amy Thomas (Barstow, CA/Barstow HS) and HSU starter Lizzy Prescott matched one another pitch for pitch from the outset. The Toros had a chance to break the game open in the 5th, loading the bases with two out. Prescott, however, induced the hot-hitting Dingman to pop up, ending the threat.

CSUDH created another opportunity for itself one inning later, as Jen Wilson’s (Orange, CA/Bellflower HS/CS Fullerton) sacrifice bunt moved Groden and Miller to 2nd and 3rd, respectively, after the two began the inning with consecutive base hits. Prescott again, however, proved too tough on this day as pinch-hitter Kelli Rodriguez (Reseda, CA/Bishop Alemany HS) popped to 3rd, and Natalie Greco (Downey, CA/Warren HS) flied out to left field to keep the game scoreless.

Momentum then donned green and gold as the Lumberjacks would break through in their final at-bats, using a single, and double and another single to plate two runs for an HSU 2-0 lead. The Toros would mount a rally as Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) singled to center field with two out in the bottom of the 7th, but reliever Tracy Motzny would induce Dingman to foul out to 1B, giving HSU the “Mountain Dew Classic” Championship. Thomas was stellar, retiring 12 of the first 14 batters she faced, including eight-consecutive to begin the game. The true freshman also fanned two ‘Jacks while allowing seven hits, but the HSU pitchers were too resilient in bringing the Lumberjacks to 52-4.

The Toros travel back to Bakersfield next weekend, taking on the Roadrunners in the final CCAA weekend of the season. CSUDH then hosts non-conference foes Biola and Grand Canyon the first week in May, awaiting their seed and tournament site for the Far West Regionals, beginning on May 12.