Taking It Home

Saturday, April 22

Riverside, Calif.

12:00 PM

California Baptist University

35-11, 25-6

Dixie State

37-11, 22-7

Dixie State

California Baptist

4/22/2017 7:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — One was the magic number for No. 13-ranked California Baptist University heading into its last series of the regular season. The Lancers just needed one win to secure their third PacWest Championship, without having to share any of it.

They did just that, grabbing a 7-5 win over Dixie State to close out the regular season, after dropping the first game 3-1. It was the first time CBU secured the PacWest title at home at John C. Funk Stadium.

"I'm happy for the girls," said Coach Bill Baber. "I told the girls after the first game that we had to believe, and they did. Even when we got down in the second game, the energy stayed up in the dugout. I think that was a huge part, they just believed in themselves and their teammates."

"It feels so much better to win it outright instead of having to share conference with Dixie State," said Krista Mann, who was a freshman when the Lancers were co-champs with the Trailblazers in 2014. "It's an awesome feeling, especially on senior day."

CBU improves to 36-11 as it heads into the postseason, finishing with a 26-6 PacWest mark. The Trailblazers sit 37-12, 22-8 in conference after splitting on the day.

Dixie State managed to keep CBU in check and scoreless for 20 innings, but the Lancers finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh of Saturday's opener.

With her team down 3-0, Erin Burkhart (3-for-7 on the day) sparked a late rally with a base hit up the middle to lead off the frame. Hannah Thieroff (3-for-4 on the day) followed with another single up the middle, pushing Burkhart to third.

The Trailblazers managed to get one out, but Shaye Felix came in as a pinch hitter and delivered an infield single to score Burkhart. Krista Mann (one hit, one run, one RBI) loaded up the bases, but Dixie State got the force out at home and then secured the 3-1 win with the third out.

Despite knowing the worst CBU could do was share the title, the Lancers were determined to claim it outright.

DSU struck first in the nightcap, scoring one run in the second, but the Lancers kept their faith that they were going to do it.

In the bottom of the fourth with one out and bases loaded, Mann walked in the tying run and kept the bases full. Caitlyn Lloyd – who was robbed a great hit in the opener off a big time catch by the Trailblazers' shortstop – then stepped up to the batter's box, due for a hit.

It came in the form of a grand slam as Lloyd got under her pitch and sent it sailing over the fence just left of center to give the Lancers a 5-1 lead.

"It felt amazing," said Lloyd. "Coach B was by my side the whole time, telling me to let it go and just to play for the team, that my bat really didn't matter and just go for a base hit. That's what I did and it went out. It was pretty exciting."

"Caitlyn has been great all year," said Baber. "Coming up in a situation like that as a freshman, what a huge play to come in and do that. It was pretty remarkable."

CBU looked like it might do some more damage as Soraya Shahbazian (3-for-6 on the day, one RBI) followed with a single to left, but the Trailblazers managed to end the inning, 5-1.

"That really gave us momentum into the next innings and the cushion was a really big deal," said Lloyd. "We had been pressing the whole series and we finally got the lead."

The Lancers were kept off the board in the fifth, but they weren't done yet.

Deanna Alarcon (2-for-3, two runs) got things going in the sixth, leading off with a single to left and Lloyd joined her on base with a single to right. Shahbazian jumped on board the base hit train, allowing Alarcon to round third and come home, 6-1.

London Miller loaded the bases as DSU's third baseman thought she made the tag at third, but chose wrong. The Trailblazers threatened to end the inning with their second putout, but a fielding error allowed Lloyd to come home and put her team in front by six, 7-1.

Those insurance runs came in handy in the seventh as Dixie State put together its own comeback attempt. The Trailblazers scored four runs and had the go-ahead run at the plate with two outs and runners on first and second.

Ashley Coleman came into the situation and despite going behind in the count 3-0, induced a fly ball to right to end the game, grabbing her first career save in the process as her teammates proceeded to dogpile on top of her.

"Ashley pitched extremely well," said Baber. "To go down 3-0 in the count and get that girl to swing on the next pitch for a popup was very good."

"This last game was intense, but we never gave up," said Lloyd, who had two hits, two runs, four RBIs on the day. "It felt amazing to have my team by my side to win this."

The PacWest Championship celebration was even sweeter as it was Senior Day. CBU honored five seniors for their contributions to the program after the championship celebrations concluded: Mann, Miller, Burkhart, Jennifer Kolander and Ashley Van Why.

CBU takes a break from competition as it waits to see where it is headed for the postseason.

"We're a young team and I think we can take a lot from this series," said Baber. "We had four tough games and three of them didn't come our way. I think we can learn so much from that since every game is big in the regional. I'm hoping we can take what we've learned from this weekend against a great team like Dixie State into the regionals and go with some momentum after a great comeback today."

The Lancers currently rank fourth in the West Region and will find out their seeding and where they will go for the NCAA Division II West Regional on May 8 at 7 a.m. on ncaa.com/live.

"This win is going to carry us into postseason and I'm really excited to see where we're headed, especially with this team," said Mann. "We're so energetic. When we get up, we play so well as a team."