Box Score
SAINT GEORGE, UT-The Dixie State College softball team erupted to a 22-4 win over in-state rival Southern Utah University on Wednesday afternoon at Karl Brooks Field.
The game originally scheduled to be played in Cedar City was moved to Saint George on Tuesday with the possibility of a spring storm on the horizon. Southern Utah was the home team in today's contest, having played its first two home series at Karl Brooks field against Summit League opponents Oakland University and South Dakota State. Today's game is the seventh the contest and has seen the Thunderbirds drop to 2-5 in the venue this year.
The Red Storm offense was relentless, pounding out a DII school record 23 hits in the 5-inning run shortened battle. Johnna Brown (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial ) and Breanna Egge (Las Vegas. NV/Centennial High School) each pounded out four hits apiece, followed by Shantae Hunter (Idaho Falls. ID/Idaho Falls High School) and Kelsey Mendenhall (Tooele. UT/Tooele High School)'s three hits each.
After Red Storm starting pitcher Lauren Folta (Erda. UT/Tooele High School) allowed two unearned runs in the bottom of the first on a Whitnie Griffith single up the middle plated to Thunderbirds. She ended up pitching the minimum to improve to 12-5 on the year. Britnie Whipple would complete the final two frames of the game, closing out SUU for the win.
Dixie State would collect a run in the top of the 2nd inning on a Brown home run to left field; it was her first of two home runs on the day.
Most of the Red Storm damage would be done in the 11-run 3rd inning that featured 11 hits in the inning. It would see Brown, Hunter, and Egge all hit long balls in the frame.
In the top of the 4th Mendenhall would hit a three run home run to left field picking up three of the seven DSC runs in the inning.
The final three runs came in the top of the 5th inning when Jayci Jeffrress would collect a single to left field and Beth Pearson (Pioche, NV/Lincoln County High School) would double into the left center field gap scoring Katelyn Nelson and Jeffress.
The Dixie State offense will get a break until next Saturday and Sunday when they will play host to the 2nd place PacWest squad Grand Canyon University. The series will have PacWest title and post season play implications, with both squad chasing first place Hawaii Pacific.
NOTES: The NCAA DII Softball West Region rankings were announced this afternoon and the Red Storm entered the first poll ranked #9. Four PacWest school were ranked in the top ten, with HPU #1, GCU #2, and Hawaii Hilo #7.
