ST. GEORGE, Utah - Dixie State softball got the scoring started early and went on to win both games of a doubleheader 7-1, and 9-1 against Dominican on Friday night.

Nicole Chavez (Chino Hills, CA/Ayala High School) had a big day at the plate, totaling five hits, four runs and four RBI over the two games including a home run. Sheila Gelter (St. George, UT/Dixie High School) had three hits on the day along with four RBI. Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, UT/Tooele) put up another four-hit day over the two games with four runs scored, including an inside-the-park home run.

Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School) improved to 7-0 in the circle with a complete-game in game one. She struckout six over seven innings, giving up four hits and one earned run. Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, CA/Highland ) took game two with six innings of work and gave up one earned run on four hits and struckout four.

Game 1
The Red Storm put up a four-spot in the first inning. Chavez hit an RBI single up the middle to score Bassett and two consecutive bases-loaded walks made it 3-0. 

Gelter singled to left to score Brooklyn Beardshear (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro) four DSU's fourth run of the inning.

The Penguins got on the board in the top half of the third inning with an RBI single.

Dixie State put up another run in the fourth when Chavez doubled to the right field wall to score Bassett again. Two more runs came across in the fifth. One came on a squeeze play with Gelter laying down a bunt to score Bailee Freeland (Ogden, UT/Bonneville High School) and another on Bassett's single to center to make it 7-1.

Duncan gave up a hit over the next two innings but Dominican never threatened and DSU took game one.

Game 2
Chavez homered over the left field wall to put the Red Storm in front in the first inning again. 

Leading 1-0, Dixie State got three more runs in the second inning with a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly before Bassett showed off her speed with an inside-the-park homer to right. Dixie State led 4-0 after two innings.

A double steal of Courtney Sherwin (Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain High School) at first and Mallory Paulson (Fruita, CO/Fruita Monument) at third scored another run in the third.

Back-to-back RBI doubles from Chavez and Courtney Hine (San Dimas, CA/San Dimas High School) pushed the lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth.

After giving up a run in the top of the sixth, DSU tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth to end it early, 9-1.

The Red Storm will face Dominican in another doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m.