Dixie State Red Storm (23-7, 11-3 PacWest)
vs. Chaminade (8-14, 4-8 PacWest)
March 23, 2016
Karl Brooks Field - St. George, Utah
Game Times (Mountain):
Wednesday - 3 p.m., 5 p.m. Live Stats: Dixie State
Live Video: Dixie State ($)Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #RollStorm | #PacWestSBAfter playing six games in four days in Northern California, the No. 15 Dixie State softball team returns to Karl Brooks Field on Wednesday to open an eight-game homestand with a doubleheader vs. Chaminade at 3 p.m. Live coverage is scheduled on television (CEC-TV - TDS Cable Channel 22) and Internet (SouthernUtahLive.com).
The Red Storm (23-7, 11-3 PacWest) are riding a 10-game win streak, the longest current win streak in the Pacific West Conference. DSU currently sits in third place in the PacWest standings, behind Hawai'i Hilo and Azusa Pacific.
ALL-TIME VS. CHAMINADE: Wednesday's series-opening game marks the 28th meeting between Dixie State and Chaminade. The teams first met on April 15, 2007, in Honolulu. DSU won the inaugural matchup, 9-1, sparking a 20-game win streak for the Storm in the series. The Silverswords earned their first victory in the series on March 3, 2013, a 7-1 win in Honolulu. Since then, DSU has won the last six matchups and holds a 26-1 series lead, including a 12-0 mark at Karl Brooks Field.
KNOW YOUR FOE: Chaminade enters Wednesday's doubleheader with an 8-14 overall record and a 4-8 mark in PacWest play, with PacWest wins over BYU-Hawaii, Notre Dame de Namur (2), and Academy of Art. The 'Swords are led by junior infielder Jenn Betian (.321/7 RBI/HR), senior infielder Amber Manuel (.303/11 RBI/HR), and freshman infielder Rainelle Matsuoka (.247/15 RBI/6 HR).
GONZALEZ NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Freshman catcher Jessica Gonzalez (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg HS) was named PacWest Player of the Week in helping the Storm to a 6-0 record in Northern California last week. She hit .588 (10-17) with four extra-base hits, four walks, four runs, 11 RBI and a 1.176 slugging percentage. She had multiple hits in four games, including a 3-for-3 performance with a home run and three RBI in the final game against NDNU. She hit a home run in each of DSU's three doubleheaders on the week, including a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning in the first game at Dominican on Saturday to cap a five-RBI performance. Gonzalez leads the PacWest in RBI (32) and slugging percentage (.806), and is third in batting average (.463) and on-base percentage (.530).
LAST TIME OUT: The Storm went 6-0 on their Northern California road trip, sweeping a four-game series at Notre Dame de Namur on Wednesday (1-0, 6-0) and Thursday (5-1, 5-1) and winning both games of a doubleheader at Dominican on Saturday (11-1, 6-1). Sunday's scheduled doubleheader at Chico State was canceled due to inclement weather.
PACWEST THREE-PEAT AND NATIONAL-RUNNERS UP: Dixie State won its third consecutive Pacific West Conference championship and made its second consecutive trip to the Division II College World Series in 2015. The Red Storm recorded a program-best 52-8 overall record, hosting and winning both the NCAA West and NCAA West Super Regionals and earning a trip to the Division II College World Series. DSU won its first three games at the College World Series and fell 5-0 to North Georgia in the National Championship game.
PRESEASON RANKINGS AND HONORS: Dixie State enters the 2016 season ranked at No. 2 in the NFCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. The Red Storm were also the unanimous choice to repeat as PacWest champions. Senior pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS) was named PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while sophomore outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS), junior infielder Mallory Paulson (Fruita, Colo./Fruita Monument HS), and junior utility infielder Brookyln Beardshear also received All-PacWest preseason honors. Additionally, Bassett and Feickert were named to the 2016 NFCA Schutt Sports Division II Player of the Year Watch List.
THE SIMKINS FILE: Randy Simkins is in his eighth year as the Dixie State head softball coach in 2016, after a stint as head coach at DSU while competing in the junior college ranks. He led Dixie State to a program-best 49-6 record in 2004 while the school competed as a NJCAA program. In 2015, the Red Strom squad recorded the most wins as a Division II program with 52 victories. Simkins has accumulated 302 victories to just 79 losses for a winning percentage of .793 in seven seasons as head coach. Simkins has led DSU to four PacWest championships, two West Region championships, two consecutive trips to the College World Series, and a national-runner up finish.
2016 ROSTER: Dixie State returns seven starters from last year, led by senior Pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS). A second-team All-PacWest selection last season, Feickert posted a 20-5 record and a 2.18 ERA with 146 strikeouts, the second-most in the conference. She earned PacWest Pitcher of the Week and Daktronics All-West Region Second Team honors and threw a perfect game against Academy of Art. Two other seniors return for the 2016 season in catcher Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS) and outfielder Kristie Johnson (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral HS).
The Red Storm return four juniors from last year's squad, led by infielder Mallory Paulson (Fruita, Colo./Fruita Monument HS) and pitcher/infielder Brooklyn Beardshear (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro HS). Paulson earned Third Team All-PacWest honors, batting .301 with 47 hits, six home runs, and 24 RBIs, while Beardshear earned First Team All-PacWest honors, batting .356 with 36 hits, six home runs, and 40 RBIs. As a pitcher, she recorded nine strikeouts with a 2.36 ERA.
Sophomore outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) also returns to anchor the Red Storm outfield. Bassett earned PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year, PacWest First Team, All-Region First Team, All-America First Team, and NFCA Freshman of the Year honors last season, batting .449 with 83 hits and 30 RBIs.
Joining Bassett is junior outfielder Shelby Yung (Upland, Calif./Upland HS), who joins Dixie State after two seasons at Pace University in New York City. As a sophomore at Pace Yung batted .444 with 40 hits, five home runs, and 15 RBI. She earned First Team All-Conference and All-Region honors. As a freshman she batted .414 with 53 hits and seven RBI, and earned conference Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference, and First Team All-Region honors.
Seven freshman look to compete for playing time as Dani Bartholf (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert HS), Kaitlyn Delange (Cedar City, Utah/Canyon View HS), Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS), Summer Simkins (St. George, Utah/Dixie HS), Taylor Godfrey (Buckeye, Ariz./Estrella Foothills HS), Jessica Gonzalez (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg HS), and Alexandria Melendez (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View HS) join the team for the new season. Redshirt freshman Alexis Barkwell (San Diego, Calif./North Medford HS) also returns in 2016.
UP NEXT: The Storm host Hawai'i Hilo in a doubleheader next Wednesday at 3 p.m.
