No. 11 Softball Swept By Notre Dame de Namur

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SAINT GEORGE -- This year has seen many firsts for the No. 11 ranked Dixie State softball team. Today was another one, just not one they want to remember. The Red Storm ended up on the wrong side of a 5-4 and 11-4 doubleheader sweep by Notre Dame de Namur at Karl Brooks Field.

It marked the first time since the transition from a junior college that the softball program has been swept at home. Taking into count that it was a two-game series, but the only one other time they two in a row was on a four game series in which they lost three out of four last year to Cal Baptist.

The Argonauts entered with a solid 8-3 mark and 3-1 record in the PacWest. They receieved seven votes in the last NFCA poll that pitted the Red Storm No. 11. They are sure to receive a few more after making some noise on Saturday afternoon.

In game one, the Red Storm jumped out on top 2-0 thanks to a failed pick off attempt that went awry at first base as the ball was thrown into left field and allowed Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) to scamper home with ease.

NDNU scored all their runs in the third inning off starter Mattie Snow (Tooele, UT/Tooele High School). A walk, an out and then a DSU fielding error put Mary Ortega up and she capitalized by hammering an 0-2 pitch for a home run down the left field line. But, a single followed by a groundout which would have ended the Argonaut inning with just two runs, was prolonged due to the error. A walk and a double followed to chase Snow from the game and give NDNU the 5-2 lead.

The Red Storm added a run in the fifth inning after Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, UT/Davis High School) tripled down the right field line. Jaelle Judkins (Saint George, UT/Dixie High School) followed with an infield single and Kylee Bufton (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork High School) picked up the RBI with an RBI single to left field. DSU stranded the final two runners as McConvey struck out Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School) and Siera Phillips (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain High School) to end the threat.

The final Red Storm run came in the seventh when Woodfall hit her first collegiate home run over the left field fence to cut the Argo lead to 5-4.

In relief of Snow, Kate Coffey (Fallon, NV/Churchill County High School) ptiched a solid four and one third innings with one hit and struck out two. DSU just couldnt find the offense they needed against McConvey who improved to 5-0 on the season.

In game two, it was all the Argos. NDNU picked up four runs in the first and two int he second and added three more in the fourth to keep the seperation they needed to knock off the eleven ranked team.

Red Storm starter Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School) struggled to find her comfort spot, going just one and two thirds innings, giving up three hits, six earned runs,walking two, hitting two batters and striking out three. She dropped to 5-2 on the season.

Offensively, Hine, Anna Cue (Murrieta Valley, CA/Murrieta Valley High School), and Marla Reiter (Rolinda, CA/Central High School) each had two hits. One of Reiters was a two run home run in the fifth inning.

Dixie State travels on Wednesday to begin their eight day and ten game road trip to the Islands. They begin on the Big Island of Hawaii for a Thursday match-up with Hawaii Hilo at 3pm and 5pm MT.

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