After defeating Academy of Art yesterday in their first game of the West Regional at Eagles Field, CUI returned on Friday to take on Dixie State for the second round of the tournament. 

Grayson Harvey was on the mound for the Eagles.  The senior All-PacWest pitcher from Apple Valley has 14 wins on the season and an ERA of 2.91. 

The Trailblazers came into the game with a 38-8 overall record.  Freshman pitcher Cambrie Hazel was on the mound for the second consecutive day after earning a win in her first career postseason game yesterday against the Cal State San Bernardino Cougars.

Runs were expected to be tough to come by and neither pitcher disappointed.  In the bottom of the 1^st inning, the Eagles put together the first rally of the game.  After singles by Amanda Gjertsen and Mackenzie Graham and a walk by Michelle Lieng, the Eagles broke the scoreless tie on a bases loaded wild pitch. 

With the Eagles still leading 1-0 in the 4^th inning, the Dixie State offense broke through for the first time.  Kenzie Sawyer evened up the game with an opposite field home run to right field.  One inning later, the Trailblazers scored again.  After a leadoff single by Dani Bartholf, she moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored after two wild pitches.  After a small-ball run in the 5^th inning, the Trailblazers got another in the 6^th.  Sawyer walked, advanced to second on an error, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly.

While the Trailblazers were able to grind out runs, the Eagles brought in one with a monster home run in the bottom of the 6^th.  With two outs, Kailey Palazzolo smashed a ball well  over the  center field fence to bring the Eagles back within one run. 

With the score now 3-2, the Eagles had one final chance in the bottom of the 7^th, but Hazel retired the side in order to hand the Eagles their first lost in nearly a month. 

Eagle Eye: Graham finished two-for-three at the plate.  Harvey pitched a complete game, giving up just four hits.

Elimination Game: For the second time on Friday, the Eagles played in a nail-biter, and this time, it was win or the season is over. 

Callie Nunes looked to win her second game in as many days against Academy of Art University, but Harvey entered the game. She was tasked with bouncing back from the loss to Dixie State in the morning, and responded. Harvey shut down the Urban Knights out of the bullpen.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Eagles struck for two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the 2^nd inning.  With two outs, Lieng doubled to right field and Thorpe singled her home.  Kretschmar then singled Lieng over to third and Ferguson drove her in to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

In the 3^rd inning, the Urban Knights came right back to tie the game.  After scoring a run on a squeeze play, the score was even when Harvey came out of the bullpen to relieve Nunes.  She ended the threat and the score remained tied.

The score was still tied at two until the bottom of the 5^th inning.  Palazzolo led off the inning with a single to left field.  She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved up to third on a ground ball to the right side.  With two outs, pinch hitter Sydni Dix reached on catcher's interference and then Thorpe came through with the clutch hit to bring home the go-ahead run. 

In the next half inning, the Urban Knights threatened again.  With two outs and a runner on second, Brooke Larson hit a sinking live drive down the right field line.  Michelle Lieng tracked the ball, laid out and made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning and preserve the lead.

The Eagles added an insurance run in the bottom of the 6^th inning.  With a runner on second base, Gjertsen smoked a single to center to bring home the Eagles' 4^th run of the game.

Up 4-2, Harvey took the mound in the 7^th inning looking to keep the Eagles' season alive.  She forced two quick ground outs and then ended the game with a strikeout. 

Eagle Eye: Ferguson finished two-for-three with one run and one RBI.  Gjertsen finished two-for-four.  Harvey pitched 4.1 innings out of the bullpen to earn the win.

What's Next: The Eagles return for the final day of the West Region Tournament tomorrow.  They take on Dixie State at 11 a.m.  If they win game one, they will play a winner-take-all final game at 1:30 pm.