No. 9 Softball heads to Arizona for 2018 Cactus Classic

Trailblazers to play six games in three days vs. Southern Nazarene, University of Mary, Lubbock Christian, Western Oregon, Fort Lewis and Franklin Pierce

2018 Cactus Classic
February 16-18, 2018
Abraham Lincoln Regional Park - Tucson, Arizona

Dixie State Game Times (Mountain):
Friday vs. University of Mary - CANCELED
Saturday vs. Lubbock Christian - Noon (Field #6) LIVE STATS LIVE VIDEO
Saturday vs. Western Oregon - 2 p.m. (Field #6)
Sunday vs. Franklin Pierce - 9 a.m. (Field #7)
Sunday vs. Fort Lewis - 11 a.m. (Field #8)
Sunday vs. Southern Nazarene - 3 p.m. (Field #6) LIVE STATS

Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #BlazeForward

The No. 9 Dixie State softball team heads to Tucson, Arizona, this week for the 2018 Cactus Classic tournament. The Trailblazers (8-0) will play five games in two days while in Tucson. See above for the updated scheduled.

Live stats and video will not be provided by the Cactus Classic tournament staff. However, SNU and LCU will have staff on hand to provide coverage for its games. DSU's games vs. SNU and LCU will have live stats available at www.dixiestateathletics.com. Results and final statistics for the games vs. WOU, FLC and FPU will be posted and distributed as they are made available.

ALL-TIME VS. SOUTHERN NAZARENE: Friday's game marks the first meeting between Dixie State and Southern Nazarene.

ALL-TIME VS. UNIVERSITY OF MARY: Friday's game marks the second meeting between Dixie State and University of Mary. The teams first met on Feb. 18, 2017, at the 2017 Cactus Classic. The Trailblazers earned a 9-5 win in the inaugural matchup, hitting three home runs on their way to victory.

ALL-TIME VS. LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN: Saturday's game marks the second meeting between Dixie State and Lubbock Christian. The Chaparrals defeated Dixie State, 2-1, on Feb. 17, 2017, in the opening game of the 2017 Cactus Classic in the first meeting between the teams.

ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN OREGON: Saturday's game marks the fifth meeting between Dixie State and Western Oregon. The teams first met on Feb. 15, 2007, at the NCAA DII Leadoff Classic in Phoenix. Dixie State earned a 1-0 win in the inaugural matchup. The Trailblazers also took both games (4-1, 13-5) vs. the Wolves in the most recent matchups at the 2016 Dixie State Tournament. DSU holds a 4-1 edge in the overall series.

ALL-TIME VS. FORT LEWIS: Sunday's game marks the 13th meeting between Dixie State and Fort Lewis. The teams first met on Feb. 2, 2007, at the College Red Rock Invitational in St. George. DSU won the inaugural matchup, 5-4, and took the next two games over the next two days. FLC defeated the Trailblazers, 7-6, on the final day of the tournament, sparking a three-game win streak in the series for the Skyhawks. Dixie State has won the last six matchups, including an 18-16 thriller at the 2017 Cactus Classic, and holds a 9-3 lead in the overall series.

ALL-TIME VS. FRANKLIN PIERCE: Sunday's game marks the first meeting between Dixie State and Franklin Pierce.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State went 6-0 at the 2018 Easton Classic, including wins over Metro State-Denver (13-5), Western Washington (16-0), CSU-Pueblo (10-1), Montana State Billings (14-4), Chadron State (5-3), and Colorado School of Mines (10-9).

MAKING HISTORY: Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) broke the DSU Softball career runs scored record on Saturday when she scored on a Riley Tyteca (Farmington, Utah/Viewmont HS) single in the top of the fifth inning vs. MSU Billings. The run marked her 184th career run scored, passing Courtney Hine (183, 2012-15). Bassett has scored five runs since then for a career total of 189 runs scored.

CHASING HISTORY: Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) started the 2018 season at No. 3 on the DSU Softball career hits list with 223 career hits. Bassett recorded her 10th hit of season in the bottom of the fourth vs. Chadron State on Saturday for her 233rd career hit. The hit propelled her past Nicole Chavez (232, 2012-15) and into No. 2 on the career hits list. Bassett logged two more hits on Sunday to get to 235 career hits, and needs just 14 more hits to pass Courtney Hine (248, 2012-15) as the DSU career hits leader.

PACWEST/NFCA D2 PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) was named PacWest Player of the Week on Monday and NFCA D2 Player of the Week on Wednesday. Bassett logged a career week in helping Dixie State win all six games at the 2018 Easton Classic. She hit .579 on the week with 11 hits and five home runs for 29 total bases. Bassett more than doubled her career home run total, hitting a home run in four of five games played, including back-to-back home runs vs. MSU-Denver on Thursday and a game-tying home run vs. Colorado School of Mines on Sunday. Additionally, Bassett recorded 12 RBI, scored 12 runs, and was a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts. Bassett also logged four multi-hit games at the tournament, including two games with three hits. She currently leads the PacWest Conference in runs scored (15), triples (2), home runs (5), and stolen bases (6).

BASSETT NAMED TO PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH: For the third consecutive year, Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) has been named to the NFCA/Schutt Sports Division II Player of the Year Watch List. The Top 25 finalists will be announced on April 23, while the Top 10 will be announced on May 15. The 2018 Player of the Year will be revealed on June 4.

DSU PICKED SECOND IN PACWEST PRESEASON POLL: For the second consecutive season, the Trailblazers were picked to finish in second place in this year's PacWest Preseason Poll behind California Baptist. Junior outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) was named as the PacWest Preseason Player of the Year after earning NFCA/D2CCA All-America and first team All-PacWest honors last season. Bassett, along with Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS) and Jessica Gonzalez (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg HS), was also named to the PacWest Preseason Team.

THE SIMKINS FILE: Randy Simkins enters his 10th year as the Dixie State head softball coach in 2018, 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 an NJCAA program. In 2015, the Trailblazers recorded the most wins as a Division II program with 52 victories. Simkins has accumulated 380 victories to just 108 losses for a winning percentage of .779 in nine seasons as head coach. Simkins has led DSU to four PacWest championships, two West Region championships, two trips to the College World Series, and a national runner-up finish in 2015.

2018 ROSTER: Dixie State returns 13 starters from the 2017 squad, led by senior outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS). A three-time first team All-PacWest honoree and three-time All-American, Bassett led Dixie State in batting average for the third consecutive season in 2017, hitting .406 with 43 runs scored, 19 RBI, and conference-best marks in on-base percentage (.519), stolen bases (42), and triples (5). She also set the new DSU career stolen bases record, stealing 42 bases on 45 attempts for a career total of 118 stolen bases. Additionally, Bassett, was named PacWest Defender of the Year, and was near-perfect defensively, logging a .983 fielding percentage with 59 putouts in 60 chances.

The Trailblazers return three other All-PacWest honorees, including Jessica Gonzalez (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg HS), Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS), and Kenzie Sawyer (Cedar City, Utah/Canyon View).

Gonzalez earned D2CCA All-West Region and second team PacWest honors in 2017. She finished the season in the Top-10 of six different statistical categories in the PacWest, including slugging percentage (.610), fielding percentage (.990), RBI (40), home runs (11), walks drawn (22), and caught stealing by (11).

Gaffin enjoyed a breakout season in 2017 and landed D2CAA/NFCA All-West Region honors and second team All-PacWest honors. She finished the season in the Top-10 in five different statistical categories in the PacWest, including batting average (.390), slugging percentage (.585), on-base percentage (.463), hits (62), and RBI (43). Defensively, Gaffin logged a .957 fielding percentage, recording 102 putouts and 74 assists in 184 chances.

Sawyer was named the PacWest Newcomer of the Year in 2017, as she transitioned seamlessly from the junior college ranks to the PacWest, hitting .327 with 26 RBI, eight doubles, and four home runs. She recorded nine multi-RBI games, reached base in 14 consecutive games, and earned PacWest Player of the Week honors on February 20.

Alyssa Arslanian (Tooele, Utah/Tooele HS) joins the team as the only junior college transfer addition in 2018. Arslanian hit .431 with 106 RBI, 31 doubles, and 27 home runs in two seasons at Snow College.

Four freshman look to compete for playing time in 2018 as Meagan Anders (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis HS), Malory Eldredge (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley HS), Cambrie Hazel (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS), and Emma Sweet (Walla Walla, Wash./Walla Walla HS) join the team for the new season.

UP NEXT: Dixie State will open PacWest play next Saturday (Feb. 24) vs. Concordia-Irvine at Karl Brooks Field.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#1 Janessa Bassett: OF; 5' 3"; Senior; L/R

#00 Kenzie Sawyer: OF/C; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#5 Bailey Gaffin: 2B/SS; 5' 6"; Junior; L/R

#12 Jessica Gonzalez: C/1B; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

#21 Alyssa Arslanian: 3B; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

#44 Riley Tyteca: 1B/C; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#24 Meagan Anders: SS/C/OF; 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R

#11 Malory Eldredge: OF; 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R

#8 Cambrie Hazel: P; 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R

#15 Emma Sweet: 2B/SS; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

Players Mentioned

#1 Janessa Bassett
: 5' 3"; Senior; L/R
: OF

#00 Kenzie Sawyer
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: OF/C

#5 Bailey Gaffin
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/R
: 2B/SS

#12 Jessica Gonzalez
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: C/1B

#21 Alyssa Arslanian
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: 3B

#44 Riley Tyteca
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: 1B/C

#24 Meagan Anders
: 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R
: SS/C/OF

#11 Malory Eldredge
: 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

#8 Cambrie Hazel
: 5' 11"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#15 Emma Sweet
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: 2B/SS