KANEOHE, Hawaii -- An improbable season is gaining steam for the Cal State San Bernardino softball team. Not playing a game in three weeks hasn't stopped coach
Tacy Duncan's Coyotes from reaching their dream of contending for a national championship.
On Saturday afternoon, the Coyotes moved one step closer to their goal with a 1-0 victory over fellow CCAA member Sonoma State in the winner's bracket of the NCAA West 2 Regional Tournament played at Hawaii Pacific University.
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The Coyotes, now 34-22 overall, will play for the West 2 title at 3 p.m PDT Sunday afternoon. The Coyotes again will face the Seawolves, who came back to defeat Hawaii Pacific in a loser's out contest Saturday, for the right to advance to next week's West Super-Region Tournament.
To listen to the game, go to
www.sonomaseawolves.com for a live web cast of the event.
Should a second game become necessary, that game is set for 5:30 p.m.
CSUSB earned another masterful performance from senior LHP
Cassidy Lee. The Burnaby, British Columbia, native (16-8 overall) picked up her second consecutive-game postseason victory in as many days. She scattered six hits and allowed just one extra-base hit. She had one strikeout and had two walks.
This was a game where the Coyotes made the most of their few opportunities. Earning just two hits for the game, CSUSB got its solo run in the fifth inning.
Sophomore
Britney Butler led off with a walk and moved over to second on
Jacquelyn Holtzclaw's sacrifice bunt. That brought up
Alyssa Flores, and for the second straight day the Fontana native delivered in the clutch.
One day after hitting the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning against defending NCAA champion and host Hawaii Pacific, Flores hit a base hit to center and Butler came around to score from second to give the Coyotes the only run they needed.
Flores was out on the play as she tried to advance to second.
Given the lead, Lee was unstoppable in the final two innings, retiring the Seawolves in order.
Jamie Leffingwell was the only other Coyote to have a base hit. She doubled in the fourth inning.
SSU (37-21) had its only threat in the fifth inning. It had runners on second and first with two outs and it appeared the Seawolves would score, but Rochelle Vanyi's base hit to center was negated when Holtzclaw threw out Jesse Talaugon, who tried to score from second.
