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Utah Tech University Athletics

Team vs. HSU
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Softball By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Softball hosts Concordia to close regular season

DSU to honor three seniors on Saturday

Dixie State Trailblazers (34-11, 22-6 PacWest) vs.
Concordia (40-11, 21-7 PacWest) 

Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
Saturday - Noon, 2 p.m.

Live Stats: Dixie State 
Live Video: Dixie State ($)
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBlazers #PacWestSB


The Dixie State softball team is set to host Concordia in a four-game series at Karl Brooks Field on Friday and Saturday to close the regular season.

First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday and Noon on Saturday, as the Trailblazers (34-11, 22-6 PacWest) look to keep their Pacific West Conference championship hopes alive and move closer to their eighth consecutive NCAA West Regional appearance. Live coverage is scheduled for both days on television (CEC-TV – TDS Cable Channel 22) and Internet (SouthernUtahLive.com), with live stats available at DixieAthletics.com.

SENIOR DAY: Saturday will serve as Senior Day as Dixie State will honor three seniors playing in their final home games, including pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS), catcher Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS), and outfielder Kristie Johnson (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral HS).  

ALL-TIME VS. CONCORDIA: Friday's series-opening game marks the first meeting between Dixie State and Concordia, as the Eagles conclude their inaugural season in the PacWest Conference.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Concordia enters the weekend with a 40-11 overall record and a 21-7 mark in the PacWest. The Eagles are led by sophomore outfielder Ryann Ferguson (.406/38 RBI/20 2B/12 HR), senior infielder Charlotte Foster (.333/45 RBI/16 HR), and sophomore infielder Amy Eilefson (.288/32 RBI/10 HR). Defensively, Concordia is led by junior pitcher BethAnn McCann (13-2/0.93 ERA/68 SO) and sophomore pitcher Grayson Harvey (19-6/1.14 ERA/185 SO).

PACWEST TITLE IMPLICATIONS: Dixie State remains in the hunt for its fourth consecutive PacWest Championship. The Trailblazers can clinch the four-peat with a four-game sweep of Concordia, coupled with a split in the California Baptist vs. Azusa Pacific doubleheader on Friday.

REGION RANKINGS AND POSTSEASON PLAY: DSU remained in the No. 7 spot in the latest NCAA Division II West Region rankings. The Trailblazers debuted in the same spot on April 13 and have remained there in each of the last two ranking updates. The top eight teams in each region qualify for one of two NCAA Division II Regional tournaments. The NCAA Division II Softball Selection Show will air on NCAA.com on Monday at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.

MAKING HISTORY: Senior pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS) became the DSU Softball all-time shutouts leader on Monday in an 8-0 win over BYU-Hawaii. Feickert struck out six and allowed just one hit en route to her 16th career shutout, passing the previous mark of 15 set by Michelle Duncan (Gilbert, AZ/Gilbert High School). Feickert also became the career strikeout leader on March 16 at Notre Dame de Namur, striking out NDNU sophomore Taylor Haynes for her 374th career strikeout to open the bottom of the sixth inning. She eclipsed the previous mark of 373, set by Lauren Folta (2009-12), and has added 64 more strikeouts to the tally for a total of 438 career strikeouts to date, the first player in DSU history to record 400 strikeouts.

CHASING HISTORY: With four regular season games remaining and 158 strikeouts recorded this season, Feickert is also chasing the DSU single-season strikeout record of 162, set by Haley Schumers in 2008.

LEADING THE LEAGUE: Sophomore outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) leads the PacWest in batting average (.471) and hits (72) and is tied for first in triples (4). Defensively, Feickert is tied for first in wins (19) and ranks second in opposing batting average (.168) and strikeouts (158).  

LAST TIME OUT: The Trailblazers rolled to a doubleheader sweep of BYU-Hawaii on Monday, winning 8-0 and 9-1 in five innings.

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 Trailblazers 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 Trailblazers 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 Trailblazers 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 Trailblazers 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 RBI, while Beardshear earned First Team All-PacWest honors, batting .356 with 36 hits, six home runs, and 40 RBI. 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 Trailblazer 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 RBI.

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 Trailblazers will learn its opponent and location for the NCAA Division II West Regionals on Monday.
 
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Players Mentioned

Michelle Duncan

#21 Michelle Duncan

P
5' 7"
Senior
R/R
Autumn Woodfall

#00 Autumn Woodfall

C/OF
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Janessa Bassett

#1 Janessa Bassett

OF
5' 2"
Sophomore
L/R
Dani Bartholf

#2 Dani Bartholf

INF
5' 4"
Freshman
R/R
Kaitlyn Delange

#4 Kaitlyn Delange

INF
5' 3"
Freshman
L/R
Bailey Gaffin

#5 Bailey Gaffin

INF
5' 5"
Freshman
L/R
Summer Simkins

#9 Summer Simkins

INF
5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
Taylor Godfrey

#10 Taylor Godfrey

OF
5' 5"
Freshman
L/R
Brooklyn Beardshear

#11 Brooklyn Beardshear

P/INF
5' 8"
Junior
R/R
Jessica Gonzalez

#12 Jessica Gonzalez

C
5' 8"
Freshman
R/R
Kristie Johnson

#16 Kristie Johnson

OF
5' 7"
Senior
R/R
Shelby Yung

#23 Shelby Yung

OF
5' 1"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Michelle Duncan

#21 Michelle Duncan

5' 7"
Senior
R/R
P
Autumn Woodfall

#00 Autumn Woodfall

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
Janessa Bassett

#1 Janessa Bassett

5' 2"
Sophomore
L/R
OF
Dani Bartholf

#2 Dani Bartholf

5' 4"
Freshman
R/R
INF
Kaitlyn Delange

#4 Kaitlyn Delange

5' 3"
Freshman
L/R
INF
Bailey Gaffin

#5 Bailey Gaffin

5' 5"
Freshman
L/R
INF
Summer Simkins

#9 Summer Simkins

5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
INF
Taylor Godfrey

#10 Taylor Godfrey

5' 5"
Freshman
L/R
OF
Brooklyn Beardshear

#11 Brooklyn Beardshear

5' 8"
Junior
R/R
P/INF
Jessica Gonzalez

#12 Jessica Gonzalez

5' 8"
Freshman
R/R
C
Kristie Johnson

#16 Kristie Johnson

5' 7"
Senior
R/R
OF
Shelby Yung

#23 Shelby Yung

5' 1"
Junior
R/R
OF