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Utah Tech University Athletics

SB - Walkoff Celebration vs. APU
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
2
Azusa Pacific APU-SB 20-10
11
Winner Dixie State DX-SB 29-8
Azusa Pacific APU-SB
20-10
2
Final
11
Dixie State DX-SB
29-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Azusa Pacific APU-SB 1 0 1 0 0 2 5 4
Dixie State DX-SB 9 2 0 0 X 11 9 0

W: Barkwell, Alexis (6-1) L: Mejia, Megan (7-2)

3
Azusa Pacific APU-SB 20-11
4
Winner Dixie State DX-SB 30-8
Azusa Pacific APU-SB
20-11
3
Final
4
Dixie State DX-SB
30-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Azusa Pacific APU-SB 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 3 8 0
Dixie State DX-SB 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 4 5 4

W: Barkwell, Alexis (7-1) L: von Zboray, Ariana (4-4)

Game Recap: Softball | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

No. 20 Softball sweeps Saturday DH to clinch series vs. Azusa Pacific

Bailey Gaffin caps 4-for-6 day with walk-off double in Game Two

No. 20 Dixie State softball took both ends of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader, 11-2 and 4-3, vs. Azusa Pacific on Saturday at Karl Brooks Field, taking three out of four from the Cougars to win the series.

The Trailblazers (30-8, 15-5 PacWest) rode a nine-run first inning to an 11-2 victory in game one, while Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS) walked off with an RBI-double to left center to propel DSU to a 4-3 win in game two.

GAME ONE – Dixie State 11, Azusa Pacific 2 (5 innings)

Azusa Pacific opened the scoring in the top of the first, bringing a runner across the plate after a fielder's choice play to take a 1-0 lead. But the lead didn't last long.

Dixie State answered with nine runs on seven hits and an APU error in the bottom half of the first to take control of the game. The Trailblazers sent 14 batters to the plate in the frame, highlighted by a 3 RBI-double by Arista Honey (Bothell, Wash./Bothell HS), and a 2 RBI double by Dani Bartholf (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert HS), both down the left field line, to help DSU to a 9-1 lead.

The Trailblazers added two insurance runs in the bottom of the second, scoring on a Brenna Hinck (Tremonton, Utah/Bear River HS) RBI-single to right field. Hinck later scored from third when the APU catcher sailed an attempt to catch Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) at second into center field to stake DSU to an 11-1 lead.

Azusa Pacific responded with one run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly, but the Cougars wouldn't get any closer. DSU retired the final six APU batters to end the game in five innings.  

Gaffin recorded the lone multi-hit game for the Trailblazers in game one, finishing the game at 2-for-3 with an RBI. Honey finished with a team-high 3 RBI with a double in her only appearance at the plate. Alexis Barkwell (San Diego, Calif./North Medford HS) earned the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing two runs on five hits for her sixth win of the year.

GAME TWO – Dixie State 4, Azusa Pacific 3

Like the first three games of the series, the Cougars opened the scoring in game two, taking a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to center field in the third inning. And, like the middle two games of the series, Dixie State rallied to take the lead.

Hinck opened the bottom half of fourth inning with a double to left center field, then moved to third on a Josey Hartman (Mapleton, Utah/Maple Mountain HS) sacrifice bunt. Bassett then drew a full-count walk to put runners on the corners with one out. After an APU pitching change, Bartholf cleared the bases with a 2 RBI-double to left center. Bartholf later moved to third and scored on two separate wild pitches to stake the Trailblazers to a 3-1 lead.

Azusa Pacific cut the lead to 3-2 to in the fifth inning with an RBI-single up the middle, then looked to take the lead in the seventh. The Cougars put runners on the corners with no outs after a DSU fielding error. Barkwell then entered the game for Dixie State, and forced a fly-out to center field. The ball carried deep enough to allow the runner from third to tie the game at 3-3. Barkwell then got DSU out of the jam with a strikeout, followed by a foul-out to third base.

Dixie State saw its first two batters go down in order in the bottom of the seventh, but Kenzie Sawyer (Cedar City, Utah/Canyon View) drew a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. Taylor Godfrey (Buckeye, Ariz./Estrella Foothills HS) then entered the game as a pinch-runner, and stole second. With a runner in scoring position, Gaffin drove the fifth pitch she saw to the wall in left center field for a walk-off RBI-double to give the Trailblazers a 4-3 win in game two, and a 3-1 series win.

Gaffin's walk-off double capped a 4-for-6 day with 2 RBI to lead Dixie State at the plate. Bartholf's 2 RBI-double moved her RBI total to four for the day. Brooklyn Beardshear (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro HS) pitched six solid innings, allowing three runs (one earned) and striking out two APU batters. Barkwell earned her second win of the day after entering in the seventh to improve to 7-1 on the season.

Dixie State will travel to Las Vegas for a non-conference matchup at Division I foe UNLV on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Pacific Time (7 p.m. MT).
 
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