FERNDALE’S DOLCINI HELPS WIN CWS OPENER
Ferndale’s Hailey Dolcini kept UCLA off the scoreboard through the sixth inning in a decisive 7-2 victory for the University of Texas to kick off the softball College World Series.
The Humboldt County born pitcher threw all seven innings, allowing the Bruins to land six hits and two runs. She struck out two Bruins and walked another two during her Wednesday midday outing. The victory improves the Fortuna High School softball alum’s overall record to 23-10 for the 2022 season.
Dolcini got plenty of support from her lineup, with Mia Scott recording hits on all four of her at bats for 2 RBI. Catcher Mary Iakopo went two for three, with a two-run bomb to left field in the third inning marking one of the game’s highlights. Bella Dayton and JJ Smith each went two for four, with the former of the two hitting another two-run homer in the top of the sixth to put the ‘Horns up 7-0 at the time. In all, Texas combined for 13 hits.
UCLA third base Delanie Wisz took Dolcini out of the yard to put the Bruins on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kinsley Washington circled the bases on the 2 RBI longball.
The Texas pitcher threw a solid one-two-three outing in the bottom of the seventh to end the lock in yet another upset win deep into the postseason.
The result puts the Longhorns on a collision course with Oklahoma in the second round winners’ bracket game, booked for Saturday at noon Pacific Daylight Time. The Sooners routed Northwestern in their respective opener via the mercy rule, with a 13-2 score after five innings. The early end via runs is the 39th of the 2022 season for Oklahoma.
The upcoming clash might be another opportunity for Dolcini to get another win over the top-ranked team in the nation. The Ferndale talent pitched in a 4-2 win over the Sooners on April 16. The result ended Oklahoma’s 40-game win streak and a 23-game win streak over the Longhorns which dated back to 2014.
Texas softball marches into its next game with a 44-19-1 record in tow.
In the Humboldt-Del Norte League’s diamonds, Dolcini was a four-time Big 5 conference MVP. She played her first seasons of collegiate softball at UC Riverside before a transfer to Fresno State. As a Fresno State Bulldog, she was named the 2021 Mountain West Conference pitcher of the year after racking up a record with 22 wins and five losses.
Dolcini announced a super senior transfer to the University of Texas in October of last year. At the time of the announcement, Texas was ranked as the 12th best team in the nation, and ranked among the top three teams in the Big 12 conference.