Dixie State softball hung close with Sacramento State on the opening day of the Capital Classic but fell 2-1. 

What head coach Randy Simkins said: Kate pitched a gem of a game. We just didn't do enough at the plate to get any kind of momentum offensively and that was the difference in the game. 

How it happened:  In the top of the third inning, Dixie State was the first to get on the board. Carly Eldredge started things off with a single up the middle. Hughbanks then doubled to right center for an RBI and Dixie had the 1-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the third Sac State answered with one run from two hits and one error to tie the game up at 1-1. 

The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Sacramento State hit a solo home run to give the Hornets the 2-1 edge. The Trailblazers couldn't get any offensive momentum rolling in the top of the seventh as the game ended with a 2-1 score in favor of Sac. 

At the plate: Dixie State ended the game with five hits from 24 at bats with one run and one RBI. DSU drew three walks and had nine strikeouts. 

Eldredge went 2-3 from the plate, with one run. Lauren Almeida, Laura Lockard and Hughbanks all recorded hits for the Trailblazers. 

In the field: The Trailblazers ended the game with 18 putouts and eight assists. Hughbanks led with eight putouts while Eldredge, Almeida and Lockard had two assists. 

In the circle: Kate Dolinski pitched all six innings for Dixie. She gave up just two runs, three hits and one walk. Dolinski came away with four strikeouts and now has a 2-3 record on the season. 

Notes to Know: Dixie State now has a 4-9 record overall on the season.

Up Next: DSU will take on UC Davis and Sacramento State tomorrow in a double header in the second day of the Capital Classic.