Dixie State Red Storm (25-7, 13-3 PacWest)
vs. Hawai'i Hilo (22-11, 14-6 PacWest)
March 30, 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 | #PacWestSBThe No. 14 Dixie State softball team continues its eight-game homestand on Wednesday when Hawai'i Hilo pays a visit to Karl Brooks Field. Live coverage is scheduled on television (TDS Cable Channel 22) and Internet (SouthernUtahLive.com).
First pitch is set for 3 p.m., as the Red Storm (25-7, 13-3 PacWest) look to build on their 12-game win streak and move up the Pacific West Conference standings. DSU is tied for first place with California Baptist with a 13-3 mark in PacWest play.
ALL-TIME VS. HAWAI'I HILO: Wednesday's series-opening game marks the 32nd meeting between Dixie State and Hawai'i Hilo. The teams first met on April 18, 2007, in Hilo, Hawaii. The Vulcans won the inaugural matchup, 2-1, sparking a three-game streak for UHH in the series. DSU earned its first victory a year later in a 7-1 win in Hilo on March 10, 2008. The Storm have won the last eight matchups and hold a 22-9 series lead, including a 15-2 mark at Karl Brooks Field.
KNOW YOUR FOE: Hawai'i Hilo enters Wednesday's doubleheader with a 22-11 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the PacWest. The Vulcans enter the matchup having lost five of their last eight games after splitting with Concordia and Azusa Pacific and dropping both games of a Monday doubleheader at California Baptist. UHH is led by sophomore infielder Bailey Gaspar (.391/24 RBI/2 HR) and junior utility infielder Cristina Menjivar (.385/23 RBI/5 HR).
FEICKERT NAMED PITCHER OF THE WEEK: For the second time this season, senior pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS) was named PacWest Softball Pitcher of the Week for her performance in helping the Storm to a doubleheader sweep of the Chaminade. In her one start last week, Feickert threw a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over the Silverswords. She matched her season-high with 11 strikeouts, striking out at least two batters in four of the six innings and striking out the side twice. Feickert currently ranks second in the PacWest in strikeouts (119), wins (14) and opponent's batting average (.179).
LAST TIME OUT: The Storm earned their 12th consecutive victory in a doubleheader sweep of Chaminade last Wednesday. DSU rolled to an 8-0 victory in Game One behind Feickert's no-hitter and two home runs from Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS). Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS) led the way in Game Two, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and four RBI en route to a 16-4 win.
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 entered 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 close their eight-game homestand with a four-game weekend series vs. No. 11 California Baptist next Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at Noon at Karl Brooks Field.
