Dixie State Trailblazers (33-10, 27-9 RMAC) at
Fort Lewis (16-33, 11-25 RMAC)Â
April 26-27, 2019Â - Durango, Colo.
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Game Times (Mountain):
Friday - 11 a.m.
Friday - 1Â p.m.
Saturday - 11 a.m.
Saturday - 1 p.m.
Live Video: Fort Lewis Live VideoÂ
Live Stats:Â Fort Lewis Live StatsÂ
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBlazers
Dixie State softball is set to close the 2019 regular season this weekend with a trip to Durango, Colorado, for a four-game Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference series at Fort Lewis.
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The Trailblazers (33-10, 27-9 RMAC) and Skyhawks (16-33, 11-25 RMAC) will open the regular season finale series with a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a second doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for both days is scheduled for 11 a.m. Live video and live stats will be provided by the FLC sports information staff. Links for both can be found at DixieStateAthletics.com.
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ALL-TIME VS. FORT LEWIS: Friday's series-opening game marks the 14th overall meeting, and the first official RMAC contest, 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 seven matchups, while the teams have combined for 55 runs in the last two meetings (DSU wins; 18-16, 17-4) played at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona. The Trailblazers hold a 10-3 overall series lead.
KNOW YOUR FOE: Fort Lewis enters the weekend with a 16-33 overall record and an 11-25 mark in RMAC play. Most recently, the Skyhawks split a four-game pod series in Pueblo, Colorado, taking two games from CSU-Pueblo while dropping two games to Chadron State. Senior Angelique Elemen leads the Skyhawks at the plate and ranks third in the RMAC with a .428 batting average. Elemen leads the RMAC with 15 home runs to go with 13 doubles and 39 RBI. Two other FLC players are hitting over .350, including McKenna Hefley (.375/51 hits/13 2B/6 HR/35 RBI) and Taylor Hollestelle (.363/61 hits/13 2B/8 HR/34 RBI). Sophomore Kassidy Trumbo (4-10/4.98 ERA/54 SO) leads the Skyhawks in the pitcher's circle.
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LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State swept its final home series of the season last weekend, taking all four games from New Mexico Highlands.
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RMAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK TAKE TWO: For the second time this month, Cambrie Hazel was named RMAC Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday. Hazel posted a 2-0 record in the Trailblazers' four-game series against New Mexico Highlands over the weekend with two dominant performances in the pitcher's circle. She recorded a 0.55 ERA and struck out 23 NMHU batters in 12.2 innings pitched. Additionally, Hazel allowed just one run and limited the Cowgirls to a .116 batting average. Â Hazel currently leads the RMAC and ranks 12th nationally with 173 strikeouts.
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500-WIN CLUB: The Trailblazers earned their 500th NCAA Division II victory on April 6 with their 3-1 defeat of Black Hills State. With nine more victories since then, DSU holds an all-time NCAA Division II record of 509-170 (.750).
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IN THE RANKINGS: Dixie State remained at No. 10 in the most recent set of NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings.
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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 February 24 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 138-49 (.738) record in true road games and have logged a winning record on the road in each season. Additionally, Dixie State has recorded a 57-36 (.613) 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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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 455 victories to just 128 losses for a winning percentage of .780. 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: Dixie State will compete in the 2019 RMAC Tournament next week with an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals on the line.
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