Box Score SALEM, Va. – West Chester University's late comeback fell short as the Golden Rams were eliminated from the 2014 NCAA Division II Softball Championships with a 4-3 setback to No. 15 Dixie State Saturday evening at the James I. Moyer Complex.
West Chester (42-22) concludes the most successful season in school history having reached the national finals for the first time. Dixie State (51-9) advances to Sunday and will take on top-ranked West Texas A&M at 12 p.m.
Sophomore 3B
Laura Altenburger hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth with West Chester (42-22) trailing, 4-0, at the time. But, the Golden Rams could not get the equalizer. Altenburger went a combined 3-for-5 in the two games Saturday and was 4-for-8 during West Chester's stay at the championships in Salem, Va.
Senior RHP
Kim Murl (24-12) threw 274 pitches in 14 total innings of work Saturday. Murl allowed four runs on nine hits going the distance for the Golden Rams inside the circle. She walked two and struck out four.
"I want to tip my hat to Kim (Murl)," Dixie State head coach Randy Simpkins said. "She pitched two games today and was really good."
"She was struggling out there that second game today," WCU head coach Diane Lokey said afterwards. "She just bared down and kept her team in the game."
Dixie State scored two runs in the top of the first and added a solo home run in the second to jump out in front, 3-0. The Red Storm tacked on one more in the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead, before West Chester made its comeback in the sixth.
Altenburger's blast to left field chased Dixie State starter Aryn Feickert (21-6). Michelle Duncan came on and got the last six outs of the game for her first save of the season.
Erin Quense finished the game 2-for-3 and was 3-for-5 on the day as well. Quense went 4-for-7 in West Chester's three games.
NOTES: West Chester drops to 10-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 1-2 in the national championship round … West Chester staved off elimination twice during their run in the NCAA Tournament … West Chester went 5-2 this year against teams ranked in the Top 25 of the NFCA poll ... the Golden Rams finished the year with a school-record 42 wins and 64 games played … West Chester's senior class will graduate with a program best 142-86 mark in their four years … Laura Altenburger, Jill Murray and Erin Quense (the 5-6-7 hitters in WCU's lineup for all three games) accounted for 11 of West Chester's 17 hits in the championships while also accounting for 6 of 7 RBI … they were 11-for-23 in the series.
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