Simkins Earns 200th Career Win, No. 23 Red Storm split with Yellowjackets

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST GEORGE, Utah – Dixie State University head softball coach Randy Simkins earned his 200^th career win today when the No. 23 ranked Red Storm defeated Montana State University Billings 11-7 in the second game of non-conference doubleheader.

The Yellowjackets (1-1) made Dixie State (1-1) wait to bestow the honor on Simkins by winning the season opener 3-2.

In the opener, MSUB jumped on the DSU starter Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School) in the top of the second. The Yellowjackets Kelsey Delvin deposited the 2-0 pitch over the left field fence to give MSUB a 1-0 lead. The Jackets continued to apply pressure on the Storm with a barrage of hits. A RBI double in the third inning gave MSUB a 2-0 lead and they added a second run in the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead.

The Storm responded in the third inning, Brooke Budge (Springville, UT/Springville High School) led the inning off with a walk. She advanced to second on a Bailee Freeland (Ogden, UT/Bonneville High School) single and Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance them to second and third. DSU centerfielder Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School) lined the next pitch to left field for an RBI sacrifice fly and plate the first DSU run of the game and season.

Dixie State added another run in the fourth when freshman cleanup hitter Brooklyn Beardshear (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro) hit a towering home run down the third base line to cut the Jackets lead to 3-2. The hit was her first collegiate home run and hit.

After four innings, Simkins opted for Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, CA/Highland ) out of the pen to replace Duncan and finish the game. The books were closed on Duncan's day and she allowed eight hits, three runs, two walks and struck out four hitters. But eventually ended up taking the loss.

Feickert was stellar in her first DSU appearance. She allowed no hits, no runs, struck out three and faced the minimum of nine batters in three innings. But most importantly she gave the offense a chance to add some runs. The anemic DSU offense threatened in the sixth and had the bases loaded in the seventh, but could not convert and finished the game with just three hits.

In the second game, Simkins chose senior pitcher Mattie Snow (Tooele, UT/Tooele High School) to lead the ship back on course.

But the Yellowjackets had a different perspective and scored four runs in the top of the first inning on a RBI-single and a 3-RBI double.

DSU would need to respond and they did. Two singles, a fielders choice, two bases loaded RBI walks, an MSUB error, a squeeze and a throwing error on a double steal allowed the Storm to rebound and take a 7-4 lead.

Beardshear paced the Red Storm offense with one hit and 3RBI in the game. DSU leftfielder Freeland added four infield singles and Marla Reiter (Rolinda, CA/Central High School) added two to the barrage of 12 hits that helped score 11 runs in the game.

Mattie Snow (Tooele, UT/Tooele High School) pitched a complete game and earns the win by allowing six earned runs, 10 hits, while striking out two.

Dixie State hit the road this weekend to play five games in the Las Vegas Desert Stinger Tournament. They open with Colorado State University Pueblo on Friday night at 8 p.m. Mountain Time.

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