No. 6 Softball hosts No. 14 California Baptist in pivotal PacWest series

Trailblazers and Lancers square off in pivotal PacWest showdown

No. 6 Dixie State Trailblazers (32-4, 16-4 PacWest) vs.
No. 14 California Baptist (28-5, 20-2 PacWest)
April 13-14, 2018 - Karl Brooks Field

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

Live Stats: Dixie State Live Stats
Live Video: Dixie State Live Video (YouTube)
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #BlazeForward #PacWestSB

After a six-game trip in northern California, No. 6 Dixie State softball returns to Karl Brooks Field for a pivotal four-game Pacific West Conference series against No. 14 California Baptist on Friday and Saturday.

The Trailblazers (32-4, 16-4 PacWest) and Lancers (28-5, 20-2 PacWest) open the series with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at Noon to close the series. All games will be streamed live on the Dixie State Athletics YouTube page. Live stats will also be available at DixieStateAthletics.com.

ALL-TIME VS. CALIFORNIA BAPTIST: Friday's series-opening game marks the 35th meeting between Dixie State and California Baptist. The teams first met on Feb. 2, 2007, at the Red Rock Invitational in St. George. The Lancers won the inaugural matchup, 3-2. DSU earned its first win in the series the following day with a 9-6 victory, but the Lancers responded, winning 12 of the next 17 games in the series. Dixie State countered by winning six of the next seven matchups, before the Lancers took three out of four games at Karl Brooks Field in 2016. The Trailblazers countered with a 3-1 series win in Riverside last season. CBU holds an 18-16 lead in the all-time series and a 10-8 mark at Karl Brooks Field. The road team has earned series victories in the last three regular-season series (2015-17) between the teams.

KNOW YOUR FOE: The Lancers enter the weekend nationally-ranked at No. 13 and sport a 28-5 overall record and a PacWest-best 20-2 mark in conference play. After dropping three games in the first two weekends of the season, CBU has won 23 of its last 25 games. The Lancers spread the wealth at the plate as Hannah Thieroff (.478, 44 hits, 47 RBI, 14 HR, 9 2B) and reigning PacWest Player of the Year Caitlyn Lloyd (.404, 42 hits, 30 RBI, 10 HR, 9 2B) lead the Lancer attack, while three others are hitting over .300. Ciara Stapp (14-3) leads CBU in the pitcher's circle with a 0.82 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 110.1 innings pitched. Kellye Springstead (11-2) is not far behind with a 1.63 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 77.1 innings pitched.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State played to a 6-0 record in the Bay Area last week with doubleheader sweeps over Cal State East Bay, Holy Names, and Dominican.

IN THE RANKINGS: After going 6-0 in the Bay Area last week, the Trailblazers moved up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6 in this week's NFCA Division II Top-25 poll.

MAKING HISTORY: Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) became the DSU Softball career hits leader with a leadoff single in the first inning at Chaminade on March 12 for her 249th career hit, passing Courtney Hine (248, 2012-15). Bassett has recorded 19 more hits since then for a current career total of 268 hits. Additionally, Bassett broke the DSU Softball career runs scored record on February 10 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 47 runs since then for a career total of 231 runs scored.

Cambrie Hazel (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) earned her 10th win of the season on March 29 vs. Azusa Pacific to become just the second freshman (Lauren Folta, 2009; 15-6) in the DSU softball NCAA era to notch 10 wins in a season. Hazel has earned four more wins since then to improve to 14-2 on the season. Additionally, Hazel has tossed five no-hitters, including a perfect game vs. NDNU on March 3, this season to set a new DSU career no-hitters record. Aryn Feickert (2014-16) held the previous mark with three career no-hitters.

As a team, the Trailblazers recorded their best start in program history, winning 22 consecutive games to start the 2018 season, before falling at Hawai'i Pacific on March 14.

400-WIN CLUB: Head coach Randy Simkins recorded his 400th career win when the Trailblazers swept Chaminade in a doubleheader on March 12. Simkins currently holds a 412-112 (.786) record in his 10th season at Dixie State.

PACWEST/NATIONAL WEEKLY AWARDS: Cambrie Hazel (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) was named PacWest Pitcher of the Week on Monday and also garnered NFCA and Fastpitch News Division II National Pitcher of the Week honors on Wednesday. Hazel tossed 20.2 hitless innings with 25 strikeouts as the Trailblazers swept through their Bay Area trip with a 6-0 record last week. Hazel bookended the trip with a pair of no-hitters, as she opened the trip with a complete-game no-hitter with seven strikeouts over Cal State East Bay on Wednesday. She also earned her fourth save of the year in the nightcap against CSUEB. Hazel tossed four perfect innings with three strikeouts in the opener at Holy Names on Thursday. She closed the trip with an eight-inning no-hitter and a career-high 14 strikeouts vs. Dominican on Saturday. Hazel has now thrown 21.1-consecutive scoreless innings for Dixie State, bringing her ERA on the season down to 0.92 with 103 strikeouts in 91.2 innings.

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 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 heads to southern California for its final regular-season road trip next Friday at Biola and Saturday at Concordia-Irvine.

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