Box score
Cal State Dominguez Hills' magic season came to an end in the NCAA Softball Championship Series when they dropped game two of the best-of-three series to Rogers State, 6-1, on Tuesday, May 31.
The Toros made the run to the program's first national championship by defeating the top team in the regional (Concordia), super regional (Cal State San Marcos), and at the national championships (UT-Tyler). The only team that seemed to give Dominguez Hills trouble was Rogers State, and there was no way to avoid the Hillcats as these two teams battled to be the last two remaining in NCAA Division II.
Rogers State earned a win over Dominguez Hills in the second round of the national championships, but the Toros battled their way back through the elimination bracket to set up a best-of-three rematch.
The Hillcats used a walk-off home run to win the opener 6-5, but it looked like the momentum might be swinging the Toros' way after the first inning on Tuesday.
Rogers State had a runner on third with one out and eventually loaded the bases in the inning, but the Toros kept them off the board. Then, they loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning, and Maiya Lopez drove a ball deep onto the warning track. The ball did not leave the yard, but it brought in the early go-ahead run from third.
Ashley Wies kept the score there with two more shutout innings, but the Hillcats broke through with two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Abbey Rogers delivered the go-ahead hit in the bottom of the fourth when she singled through the left side to score two with two outs. Rogers State continued to tack on insurance runs as they went on to capture the first national championship in program history.
Dominguez Hills' Raquel Jaime etched her name in the tournament record book for most hits at the final site with 16, breaking the mark by four. She was named the Most Outstanding Player at the championship despite being on the losing side. The junior utility player went 16-for-27 (.593) with six doubles and she had multi-hit performances in all seven games in Denver.
Jaime was joined on the all-tournament team by Maiya Lopez, Kianna Abellera and Ashley Wies.
Cal State Dominguez Hills concludes its season at 45-24.