Headed to the Land of Dixie

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — For the second year in a row, California Baptist University enters the NCAA Division II West Region tournament as the No. 3 seed. Although the two host sites are the same as last year, the No. 12-ranked Lancers aren't heading to Cal State Monterey Bay (No. 1 seed) this year; instead, they're heading to No. 2 seed Dixie State.

The NCAA Division II Softball Committee selected the 64 teams Monday morning to participate in the 2015 NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Four teams will participate at each of 16 regional sites in double-elimination tournaments with competition beginning May 7 or 8. Winners from each sub-regional move on to face the winner of the other site in a Super Region competition with hopes of moving on to the final rounds in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 21-25.

CBU drew No. 6 seed Chico State as its first competitor. The Lancers (40-9) enter the postseason with an eight game winning streak in tact, hoping to build upon last year's success in their first-ever NCAA Division II championship tournament appearance. CBU made it all the way to the final sub-regional game, dropping a close 2-1 loss to Cal State Monterey Bay.

Savannah Miller leads the team with a .362 average and has hit two grand slams in two of her last three games, boasting a .589 slugging percentage on the season with 38 RBIs and 49 runs scored. Jacque Lopez isn't far behind her senior teammate, batting .353 on the year with 32 runs scored and a team-high three triples.

Two pitchers hold down the circle for the Lancers with Loie Kesterson (20-6) and Kayla Hatch (20-3) each boasting 20 wins on the year. Kesterson holds a 1.65 ERA with 19 complete games, striking out 64 batters and keeping her opponents to a .213 average at the plate. Hatch has only surrendered three losses this year to top the PacWest rankings, striking out 48 batters and keeping them to a .233 batting average.

The dynamic duo will look to hold off the Wildcats, who make their first postseason appearance since 2012, on Thursday at 12:00 p.m. at the Karl Brooks Field in Saint George, Utah.

Chico State enters the tournament with a 28-20 overall record and comes off two losses at the California Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament. The Wildcats took eventual champions No. 5-ranked Cal State Monterey Bay to 10 innings in the first round of the tournament, just dropping the contest 7-6. Chico State couldn't bounce back and saw itself eliminated after its second loss, 6-3, to Sonoma State — who is in the other regional as the No. 5 seed.

Desireé Gonzalez and Emily McEnaney provide a one-two punch for the Wildcats, batting .379 and .378, respectively. Both top the team with doubles — McEnaney has 15 and Gonzalez has 14 — as well as home runs and runs batted in. In the circle, Hailey Gilham (15-9) boasts the team's lowest ERA with 2.22, throwing 17 complete games with four shutouts and 79 strikeouts. Brooke Langeioh (11-9) is another threat on the rubber, hurling 96 knockouts with a 2.61 ERA.

Host Red Storm, which rank No. 4 in NCAA Division II, face No. 7 seed Saint Martin's in the first round. In Monterey, Calif., the Otters take on No. 8 seed Montana State-Billings while the Seawolves challenge No. 4 seed and 15th-ranked Humboldt State.

Complete Brackets

Schedule

Headed to the Land of Dixie

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Players Mentioned

Kayla Hatch

Loie Kesterson

Jacque Lopez

Savannah Miller

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