TURLOCK —
Alex Rowell had a big game in the nightcap of the non-conference doubleheader against Western Washington Tuesday night.
Rowell's double down the left-field line scored two runs as Stanislaus State beat the WWU Vikings in walk-off fashion, 4-3, to earn a twinbill split. Western Washington won the first game, 4-2, on a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
For the Warriors (17-16), the Tuesday night affair served as the final tune-up before the annual Tournament of Champions this weekend, when 26 team from the West Region converge for a 77-game event at three locations throughout Turlock.
Rowell belted a two-run homer in the second inning of the nightcap to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. However, Western Washington (16-16) scored three runs in the fifth, first on a solo homer by Jordan Walley before two more unearned Vikings runs could come across to make it 3-2.
Then, in the Warriors' final at-bat, an error that began the inning started the rally. Consecutive singles by
Morgan Balestreri and
Nicolette Vizcaino would load the bases, but
Katelyn McDonald bounced to first for a 3-2-4 twin-killing.
Ruby Quiralte would get hit by a piych to load the bags again, setting up Rowell's heroic at-bat.
Rowell ends up 3-for-4 and drove in all four runs in the game.
Kylie Ragsdale earned the win in relief, tossing 2 1/3 innings and allowed just one hit and struckout three. Ragsdale also started in game one and was tagged with the loss despite a 7-inning outing. She was out-dueled by Makinlee Sellevold in the circle. Sellevold also helped herself with a three-run homer in the sixth.
Cassidy Duke went 2-for-3 in game one and McDonald homered in the third to lead Stanislaus.
The Warriors will begin the Tournament of Champions play on Friday with a game against Hawaii Pacific at 2 p.m. at the Pedretti Sports Complex before facing Notre Dame de Namur at 7 p.m. at Warrior Softball Field. For a complete schedule of games and more details on the Tournament of Champions sponsored by the City of Turlock, please visit
WarriorAthletics.com/TOC.