No. 13 Dixie State Trailblazers (34-6, 18-6 PacWest) at:
Biola (31-13, 14-10Â PacWest)
Concordia-Irvine (34-12, 16-6 PacWest)
April 20-21, 2018
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Game Times (Mountain):
at Biola - Friday (DH) - 5 p.m., 7 p.m.
at CUI - Saturday (DH) - 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Live Video: Biola , Concordia-Irvine
Live Stats: Biola , Concordia-Irvine
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #BlazeForward #PacWestSB
The No. 13 Dixie State softball team heads to southern California this week for its final Pacific West Conference road trip. The Trailblazers (34-6, 18-6 PacWest) open the trip with a doubleheader at Biola on Thursday at 4Â p.m. Pacific Time (5Â p.m. MT). DSU will close the trip the following the day with a Noon PT (1 p.m. MT) doubleheader at Concordia-Irvine.
Live video and live stats are scheduled to be provided at both doubleheaders. Links can be found at DixieStateAthletics.com.
ALL-TIME VS. BIOLA: Friday's series opening game marks the third meeting between Dixie State and Biola. The teams first met on March 31 in St. George. The Trailblazers rolled to a 9-1 win in five-innings in the first game of the PacWest doubleheader, but dropped a 6-3 decision in game two. The overall series is tied at 1-1, while Friday's doubleheader marks the first time the teams have met in La Mirada.
ALL-TIME VS. CONCORDIA-IRVINE: Saturday's series-opening game marks the 13th meeting between Dixie State and Concordia-Irvine. The teams first met in a doubleheader on Feb. 8, 2008, in Irvine, California. The Eagles swept the doubleheader to take a two-game advantage in the series, which was resumed in 2016 during CUI's debut season in the PacWest. The teams split a four-game series in both the 2016 and 2017, before the Trailblazers took both ends of a doubleheader on February 24 at Karl Brooks Field. The overall series is tied at 6-6, while the Eagles hold a 4-2 advantage in Irvine.
KNOW YOUR FOE: Biola enters the weekend with a 31-13 overall record and a 14-10 mark in PacWest play. The Eagles are 2-4 after splitting a doubleheader with Dixie State on March 31. Hailey Boyett (.398, 41 hits, 30 RBI, 5 HR) leads the Eagles at the plate, while Areana Ramos (.374, 55 hits, 34 RBI, 8 HR) and Jay Perez (.363, 45 hits, 28 RBI) are also batting over .350. Paige Austin (14-4, 1.77 ERA, 136 SO) and Terri Van Dagens (11-6, 1.86 ERA, 89 SO) lead the Eagles in the pitcher's circle.
Concordia-Irvine enters the weekend with a 34-12 overall record and a 16-6 mark in PacWest play. The Eagles, who will also host Azusa Pacific on Friday, claimed the No. 2 in the first Division II West Region rankings of the season. Three Eagles are hitting over .300, including Ryann Ferguson (.370, 57 hits, 21 RBI, 11 2B, 5 HR), Amanda Gjertsen (.316, 42 hits, 25 RBI, 14 2B, 4 HR), and Kailey Palazzolo (.312, 44 hits, 30 RBI, 12 2B, 4 HR). Callie Nunes (19-3) leads Concordia in the pitcher's circle with a PacWest-best 0.53 ERA and 231 strikeouts, while Grayson Harvey (10-7, 3.31 ERA, 99 SO) provides a solid option at No. 2.
LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State split a four-game series with No. 14 California Baptist on Friday and Saturday at Karl Brooks Field. Â
IN THE RANKINGS: After last week's 2-2 split with California Baptist, the Trailblazers fell out of the Top-10 to No. 13 in this week's NFCA Division II Top-25 poll. Dixie State also landed at No. 4 on Wednesday in the first NCAA Division II West Region rankings of the season.
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 23 more hits since then for a current career total of 272 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 50 runs since then for a career total of 234 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 five more wins since then to improve to 15-2 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 414-114 (.784) record in his 10th season at Dixie State.
BASSETT NAMED TO PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH:Â 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 returns to Karl Brooks Field for its regular-season finale in a doubleheader against Academy of Art on May 5. Â
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