ST. GEORGE – The Dixie State softball team won twice Friday in back-to-back games to stay undefeated and improve to 7-0 to open the season. Both games came on the second day of the Easton Classic, hosted by the Trailblazers at the Canyons Softball Complex.
Game One
DSU 8, SEU 0
The Trailblazers opened up their play against St. Edward’s University out of Austin, Texas. It did not take long for Dixie State to jump out quickly. Jessica Gonzalez had her second home run in two days in the bottom of the first inning.
“Jess hit a three-run shot that hit the top of the fence and hopped over,” said Dixie State head coach Randy Simkins. “That is the first time that has happened since I have been here. Before today they have always bounced back into play.”
The home run came with two outs and scored Josey Hartman and Mallory Paulson. The Trailblazers added two more in the third. After the first two batters walked on eight straight ball calls, third baseman Dani Bartholf sacrifice-bunted the players to second and third. Arista Honey singled in the first run with a hit to right field. Shelby Yung scored the second with a single to shortstop.
The Blazers ended the game in five by adding three more runs. Kenzie Sawyer doubled in the first run. The final two runs were scored by a walk with the bases loaded and a wild pitch.
Brooklyn Beardshear (3-0) got the win, pitching the complete game. She allowed only two hits while striking out two. Ashlee Rex (1-2) took the loss for St. Edwards. Yung collected multiple hits in the shortened game and Riley Tyteca joined Sawyer and Gonzalez with an extra-base hit.
“Brooklyn pitched a dominant game,” said Simkins. “St. Edwards is a tough team and to limit them to only two base runners is pretty good.”
Game Two
DSU 8, UCCS 1
The Trailblazers faced future RMAC foe UC-Colorado Springs in the nightcap. Dixie State again started strong, putting up six runs in the first three innings.
In the first, Yung singled in a run. Yung then scored later in the inning on a throwing error. In the second inning, DSU’s run came on a solo shot by Bartholf to left center.
In the third inning, Yung homered to left field to open up the inning. Gonzalez tripled to right field. Paulson then singled to shortstop. She stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Bailey Gaffin then singled up the middle to score the runners.
In the seventh, Yung singled, then stole second. Kori Gahn singled up the middle to advance Yung to third. Gahn then intentionally got caught up between first and second to score Yung from third. Gahn advanced to second safely on the throw to home. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Gahn came home on a triple by Tyteca.
The Mountain Lions scored their only run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run. Yung finished the game 3 for 4 with two RBIs and three stolen bases.
Alex Melendez (3-0) got the win. She pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits and one walk. Christina Patton (0-2) took the loss for UCCS.
Dixie State will face Concordia University of Oregon and Western New Mexico University on the final day of the Easton Classic. The first game will begin at 12:30 p.m. The game against WNMU will begin at 3 p.m.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @oldschoolag
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.