No. 22 Dixie State Trailblazers (9-2, 3-1 RMAC) at
No. 17 Colorado Mesa (11-3, 4-0 RMAC)Â
March 2-3, 2019 - Grand Junction, Colo.
Game Times (Mountain):
Saturday - 10 a.m.
Saturday -Â Noon
Sunday - 11 a.m.
Sunday -Â 1 p.m.
Live Video: Colorado Mesa Live Video
Live Stats: Colorado Mesa Live StatsÂ
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBlazers
After opening the 2019 season with 11 consecutive games at home, No. 22 Dixie State softball takes its first road trip of the season this weekend for a Top-25 matchup at No. 17 Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colorado.
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The four-game series will open with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Saturday doubleheader was originally scheduled for a Noon start, but has since been moved up to 10 a.m., due to rain in the afternoon forecast. The Trailblazers (9-2, 3-1 RMAC) and Mavericks (11-3, 4-0 RMAC) will close the series with a second doubleheader on Sunday at 11 a.m. Live video and live stats will be provided by the CMU sports information staff. Links for both can be found at DixieStateAthletics.com. Â
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ALL-TIME VS. COLORADO MESA: Saturday's series-opening game marks the 10th meeting between Dixie State and Colorado Mesa. The teams first met on Feb. 17, 2013, at the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Arizona. DSU won the inaugural matchup, 2-1, sparking an eight-game win streak in the series for the Trailblazers. Colorado Mesa earned its first win in the series with a 6-5 victory at Karl Brooks Field on Feb. 12, 2017. Dixie State holds an 8-1 series lead, including a 4-0 mark in Grand Junction.
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KNOW YOUR FOE: Colorado Mesa enters the weekend with an 11-3 overall record and a 4-0 mark in RMAC play. The Mavericks went 7-3 in non-conference play, including a 4-1 record in DSU's Courtyard Classic, before cruising past Fort Lewis for a 4-0 sweep in the RMAC opener last week. CMU ranks second in the RMAC in team batting average at .366 and boasts a conference-best 19 home runs. AnnMarie Torres ranks second in the RMAC with a .541 batting average to go with five home runs and a league-best 24 RBI. Two other Mavericks are hitting .400 or better, including Kellie Mrofcza (.419/5 2B/12 RBI), and Alexandria Dufour (.412/6 RBI). CMU ranks second in the RMAC with a 2.49 team ERA and a combined 66 strikeouts. RMAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Kimbri Herring leads the Mavericks in the circle with a 5-1 record and a 2.48 ERA with 23 strikeouts.
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NEW SEASON, NEW CONFERENCE: After 11 seasons as a member of the Pacific West Conference, the Trailblazers played their first official RMAC contest on Sunday against Adams State. Dixie State logged a 263-67 record as a member of the PacWest Conference and won four PacWest titles (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015).
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ON THE ROAD: Since Randy Simkins began his NCAA Division II-era tenure as head coach at DSU in 2010, the Trailblazers have posted a 128-41 (.757) record in true road games and have logged a winning record on the road in each season. Additionally, Dixie State has recorded a 55-36 (.604) record in neutral-site games.
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DSU TABBED AS RMAC PRESEASON FAVORITE: Dixie State softball was selected as the 2019 RMAC preseason favorite by the league's 13 coaches. The Trailblazers received seven out of a possible 13 first-place votes in the RMAC coaches' poll to garner a total of 138 points, edging reigning RMAC champion Colorado Mesa, which received six first-place votes and earned 135 points in the poll. Colorado Christian landed at No. 3, while Regis and MSU Denver came in at fourth and fifth to round out the top-5. Junior outfielder Brenna Cornwall (Hinck) garnered the team's lone preseason All-RMAC honor as one of three outfielders on the preseason All-RMAC team.
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IN THE RANKINGS: After opening RMAC play with a 3-1 record, the Trailblazers dropped from No. 13 to No. 22 on Wednesday in the latest NFCA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll.Â
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THE SIMKINS FILE: Randy Simkins is in his 11th year as the Dixie State head softball coach in 2019, after a stint as head coach at DSU while competing in the junior college ranks. In 10-plus seasons, Simkins has accumulated 431 victories to just 120 losses for a winning percentage of .782. 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.
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2019 ROSTER: Dixie State returns nine starters from the 2018 squad, led by All-American Cambrie Hazel and All-Region honorees Bailey Gaffin and Jessica Gonzalez.
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Hazel garnered third team NFCA All-America honors in 2018 and became just the second DSU freshman (Janessa Bassett, 2015) to attain All-America status. Hazel was dominant in her debut collegiate season, earning six different PacWest weekly awards to go with one national weekly award. Hazel was named PacWest Pitcher of the Week four times, while landing two Freshman of the Week honors. She was also named NFCA National Pitcher of the Week on April 11. Hazel tossed a DSU record five no-hitters and just the second perfect game (vs. NDNU; 3/3/18) in DSU history in 2018. She closed the season with a 20-4 record, a 1.79 ERA, and 142 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .162 batting average. Additionally, Hazel became the first freshman (and the third overall) DSU pitcher to win 20 or more games in a single season.
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Gaffin earned first team All-West Region honors in 2018, hitting .342 with 53 hits, 45 RBI, 12 doubles, three home runs, and one triple. She also recorded 14 multi-hit and 13 multi-RBI games. Defensively, Gaffin has logged a .943 fielding percentage with 78 putouts and 88 assists in 176 chances. She also helped turn six double plays.
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Gonzalez garnered second team All-West Region honors, hitting .319 with 43 hits, 41 RBI, seven home runs, and six doubles. She also recorded 11 multi-hit games to go with 11 multi-RBI games. Gonzalez belted two grand slams in 2018, including the game-winning blast over Concordia-Irvine to clinch the West 2 Regional title. Defensively, Gonzalez posted a .988 fielding percentage with 225 putouts and 23 assists on 251 chances. She also mowed down seven stolen base attempts.
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The Trailblazers also return preseason All-RMAC honoree Brenna Cornwall and third team All-PacWest honoree Kori Gahn.
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Cornwall helped anchor a talented DSU outfield in 2018, hitting .364 with 44 hits, 25 RBI, nine doubles, two home runs, and two triples. Additionally, she posted 10 multi-hit games and logged a team-high .506 on-base percentage. She also stole 16 bases on 18 attempts. Defensively, Cornwall recorded a .971 fielding percentage with 64 putouts and two assists in 68 total chances. Brenna also earned All-PacWest Academic honors with a 3.64 GPA.
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Gahn landed her first All-PacWest honor after hitting .278 with 40 hits, 28 RBI, eight doubles, and three home runs. She also finished the regular season with eight multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games. Defensively, Gahn logged a .985 fielding percentage with 264 putouts and seven assists in 275 chances.
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DSU returns four other starters from the 2018 squad, including Riley Tyteca (.300/24 RBI/5 HR/5 2B), Kaitlyn Delange, (.292/19 RBI/9 2B), Dani Bartholf (.283/27 RBI/6 2B/3 HR), and Alexandria Melendez (10-4, 4.44 ERA/51 SO).
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Five new players join the 2019 squad, including Division I transfer Mikaela Thomson and freshmen Lindsay Altfillisch, Carissa Burgess, Kasey Crawford, and Ashley Jones.
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UP NEXT: The Trailblazers return to Colorado for a four-game series next Saturday and Sunday at CSU-Pueblo.
