Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Softball 4/23/2016 9:08:00 AM By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Softball opens six-game homestand Monday vs. BYU-H

Dixie State Trailblazers (32-11, 20-6 PacWest) vs.
BYU-Hawaii (9-31, 5-25 PacWest)

Game Times (Mountain):
Monday - 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

Live Stats: Dixie State
Live Video: Dixie State ($)
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | #DixieBlazers #PacWestSB

After five consecutive games on the road, the Dixie State softball team opens a six-game homestand on Monday, hosting BYU-Hawaii in a doubleheader at Karl Brooks Field.

First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Monday, as the Trailblazers (32-11, 20-6 PacWest) look to build on a four-game win streak in Pacific West Conference action. Live coverage is scheduled on television (CEC-TV – TDS Cable Channel 22) and Internet (SouthernUtahLive.com), with live stats available at DixieAthletics.com.

ALL-TIME VS. BYU-HAWAII: Monday's series-opening game marks the 31st meeting between Dixie State and BYU-Hawaii. The teams first met on April 16, 2007, in Laie, Hawaii. Dixie State won the inaugural matchup, 11-6, and claimed victories in the next two games before BYU-Hawaii earned its first win in the series, 5-4, on March 24, 2008, in St. George. Since then, DSU has won 25 out of the last 26 matchups and owns a 21-game win streak in the series. The Trailblazers hold a 28-2 series lead, including a 10-2 mark at Karl Brooks Field.

KNOW YOUR FOE: BYU-Hawaii enters the weekend with a 9-29 overall record and a 5-23 mark in the PacWest. BYU-H will wrap up a four-game series at Concordia on Saturday before heading to St. George for Monday's doubleheader. The Seasiders are led by senior infielder Tiffany Smith (.295/24 RBI/11 2B/HR) and sophomore pitcher Brittany Vasquez (.301/14 RBI/HR).

MAKING HISTORY: Senior pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS) became the DSU Softball All-Time strikeout leader on March 16 at Notre Dame de Namur, striking out NDNU sophomore Taylor Haynes for her 374th career strikeout to open the bottom of the sixth inning. She eclipsed the previous mark of 373, set by Lauren Folta (2009-12), and has added 58 more strikeouts to the tally for a total of 432 career strikeouts to date, the first player in DSU history to record 400 strikeouts.

CHASING HISTORY: With six regular season games remaining, and 152 strikeouts recorded this season, Feickert is also chasing the DSU single-season strikeout record of 162, set by Haley Schumers in 2008.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State fell, 13-9, at Southern Utah on Wednesday as 18 different players saw action for the Trailblazers.

PACWEST THREE-PEAT AND NATIONAL-RUNNERS UP: Dixie State won its third consecutive Pacific West Conference championship and made its second consecutive trip to the Division II College World Series in 2015. The Trailblazers recorded a program-best 52-8 overall record, hosting and winning both the NCAA West and NCAA West Super Regionals and earning a trip to the Division II College World Series. DSU won its first three games at the College World Series and fell 5-0 to North Georgia in the National Championship game.

PRESEASON RANKINGS AND HONORS: Dixie State entered the 2016 season ranked at No. 2 in the NFCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. The Trailblazers were also the unanimous choice to repeat as PacWest champions. Senior pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS) was named PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while sophomore outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS), junior infielder Mallory Paulson (Fruita, Colo./Fruita Monument HS), and junior utility infielder Brookyln Beardshear also received All-PacWest preseason honors. Additionally, Bassett and Feickert were named to the 2016 NFCA Schutt Sports Division II Player of the Year Watch List.

THE SIMKINS FILE: Randy Simkins is in his eighth year as the Dixie State head softball coach in 2016, 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 a NJCAA program. In 2015, the Trailblazers recorded the most wins as a Division II program with 52 victories. Simkins has accumulated 302 victories to just 79 losses for a winning percentage of .793 in seven seasons as head coach. Simkins has led DSU to four PacWest championships, two West Region championships, two consecutive trips to the College World Series, and a national-runner up finish.

2016 ROSTER: Dixie State returns seven starters from last year, led by senior Pitcher Aryn Feickert (Lancaster, Calif./Highland HS). A second-team All-PacWest selection last season, Feickert posted a 20-5 record and a 2.18 ERA with 146 strikeouts, the second-most in the conference. She earned PacWest Pitcher of the Week and Daktronics All-West Region Second Team honors and threw a perfect game against Academy of Art. Two other seniors return for the 2016 season in catcher Autumn Woodfall (Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS) and outfielder Kristie Johnson (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral HS).

The Trailblazers return four juniors from last year's squad, led by infielder Mallory Paulson (Fruita, Colo./Fruita Monument HS) and pitcher/infielder Brooklyn Beardshear (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro HS). Paulson earned Third Team All-PacWest honors, batting .301 with 47 hits, six home runs, and 24 RBI, while Beardshear earned First Team All-PacWest honors, batting .356 with 36 hits, six home runs, and 40 RBI. As a pitcher, she recorded nine strikeouts with a 2.36 ERA.

Sophomore outfielder Janessa Bassett (Stansbury Park, Utah/Stansbury HS) also returns to anchor The Trailblazer outfield. Bassett earned PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year, PacWest First Team, All-Region First Team, All-America First Team, and NFCA Freshman of the Year honors last season, batting .449 with 83 hits and 30 RBI.

Joining Bassett is junior outfielder Shelby Yung (Upland, Calif./Upland HS), who joins Dixie State after two seasons at Pace University in New York City. As a sophomore at Pace Yung batted .444 with 40 hits, five home runs, and 15 RBI. She earned First Team All-Conference and All-Region honors. As a freshman she batted .414 with 53 hits and seven RBI, and earned conference Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference, and First Team All-Region honors.

Seven freshman look to compete for playing time as Dani Bartholf (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert HS), Kaitlyn Delange (Cedar City, Utah/Canyon View HS), Bailey Gaffin (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge HS), Summer Simkins (St. George, Utah/Dixie HS), Taylor Godfrey (Buckeye, Ariz./Estrella Foothills HS), Jessica Gonzalez (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg HS), and Alexandria Melendez (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View HS) join the team for the new season. Redshirt freshman Alexis Barkwell (San Diego, Calif./North Medford HS) also returns in 2016.

UP NEXT: The Trailblazers close the regular season and wrap up a six-game homestand in doubleheaders vs. Concordia on Friday and Saturday.

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Players Mentioned

#00 Autumn Woodfall: C/OF; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#1 Janessa Bassett: OF; 5' 2"; Sophomore; L/R

#2 Dani Bartholf: INF; 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R

#4 Kaitlyn Delange: INF; 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R

#5 Bailey Gaffin: INF; 5' 5"; Freshman; L/R

#9 Summer Simkins: INF; 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R

#10 Taylor Godfrey: OF; 5' 5"; Freshman; L/R

#11 Brooklyn Beardshear: P/INF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

#12 Jessica Gonzalez: C; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Kristie Johnson: OF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#23 Shelby Yung: OF; 5' 1"; Junior; R/R

#24 Mallory Paulson: INF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#00 Autumn Woodfall
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: C/OF

#1 Janessa Bassett
: 5' 2"; Sophomore; L/R
: OF

#2 Dani Bartholf
: 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#4 Kaitlyn Delange
: 5' 3"; Freshman; L/R
: INF

#5 Bailey Gaffin
: 5' 5"; Freshman; L/R
: INF

#9 Summer Simkins
: 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#10 Taylor Godfrey
: 5' 5"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

#11 Brooklyn Beardshear
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: P/INF

#12 Jessica Gonzalez
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: C

#16 Kristie Johnson
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#23 Shelby Yung
: 5' 1"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#24 Mallory Paulson
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: INF