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Utah Tech University Athletics

2019 SB - Bartholf vs. WNMU
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
6
Western New Mexico WNMU 0-7
14
Winner Dixie State DSSB 1-0
Western New Mexico WNMU
0-7
6
Final
14
Dixie State DSSB
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Western New Mexico WNMU 2 0 3 0 1 0 6 6 3
Dixie State DSSB 1 0 6 1 5 1 14 11 2

W: Burgess, Carissa (1-0) L: Julia Vega (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

No. 17 Trailblazer Softball opens season with 14-6 win over Western New Mexico

No. 17 Dixie State softball opened the 2019 season with a convincing 14-6 win over Western New Mexico on Thursday as part of the Courtyard Classic played at the Canyons Softball Complex.
 
The Trailblazers faced an early deficit as the Mustangs belted a two-run home run in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Taylor Godfrey answered with an RBI-single in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1, but WNMU again used the long ball in the top of the third, blasting a three-run homer to extend the lead to 5-1.
 
The home run seemed to act as a wakeup call for DSU, as the Trailblazers exploded for six runs on four hits in the bottom of the third to take a 7-5 lead. Dani Bartholf started things off with two-run shot down the left field line. Then, after Riley Tyteca reached on a fielding error, Kaitlyn Delange laced a double to left center field. Tyteca and Delange later scored on a passed ball. Bailey Gaffin and Jessica Gonzalez put the finishing touches on the inning with back-to-back RBI-singles.
 
Dixie State added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth when DSU newcomer Mikaela Thomson stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter. Thomson made her first at-bat as a Trailblazer count, ripping a full-count pitch over the right-center field wall for a solo home run to extend the lead to 8-5.
 
Western New Mexico pulled one run back in the top of the fifth on an RBI-groundout, but it was too little, too late.
The Trailblazers put the game out of reach in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring five more runs on three hits to push the lead to 13-6. Gaffin scored Kasey Crawford from third on an infield single to spark the run, while Kori Gahn picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field. Three batters later, Thomson added to her exceptional debut and drove a 2-RBI single to the wall in center field. Malory Eldredge would eventually score the final run of the inning on a double-steal play.
 
The defense got in on the action in the top of the sixth and turned in an early candidate for play of the year. With a WNMU base-runner on first with one out, Delange dove to her right and snared a hard-hit ground ball up the middle. Delange then flipped the ball straight from her glove to Gaffin, who stepped on second base and made a leaping throw to first to complete the inning-ending double play.
 
Dixie State wrapped up the six-inning victory in the bottom half of the inning when Gahn hit a walk-off single to right field, scoring Ashley Jones from third to end the game.
 
Thomson led the way at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run and a team-high 3 RBI. Gaffin and Delange also turned in a multi-hit performance with two hits each. Brenna Cornwall drew three walks and scored a team-high three runs. Carissa Burgess earned the win in the pitcher's circle in her first collegiate appearance. Burgess entered in the fourth inning and allowed just one hit and recorded one strikeout in three innings of work.
 
The Trailblazers continue play at the Courtyard Classic on Friday with games against MSU Billings (12:30 p.m) and Cal State East Bay (3 p.m.).
 
 
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