For the second-straight game, the Dixie State softball team faced an early deficit. And for the second-straight game, the Trailblazers (5-0) rallied for a comeback win. This time, DSU rallied for a 5-3 victory over Colorado State-Pueblo on Thursday in its first game of the DSU Easton Classic at the Canyons Softball Complex.
CSU-Pueblo opened the scoring in the top of fourth, using a double and a single to get two runners aboard the bases. Two pitches later, CSUP’s Christa Angers sent the 1-0 pitch over the center field fence to give the Thunderwolves a 3-0 lead.
Dixie State cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning when Jessica Gonzalez singled through the right side to score Riley Tyteca from second. And Gonzalez wasn’t finished. After DSU took advantage of a CSUP fielding error for two runs early in the bottom of the fifth, Gonzalez crushed a two-run home run to left field to give DSU a 5-3 lead. The blast marked her third home run of the season and pushed her RBI total to a team-high mark of eight.
The Trailblazers then tightened on defense, retiring six of the next eight CSUP batters to clinch the victory.
Gonzalez led the way at the plate for DSU, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, while Janessa Basset went 2-for-3 and drew a walk. Alexandria Melendez earned the win in the pitcher’s circle, allowing six hits and striking out three in 5.2 innings of work. Madi Dove earned her first save of the season, tossing 1.1 hitless innings with two strikeouts.
Dixie State continues play at the Easton Classic on Friday, taking on St. Edward’s at 3 p.m., followed by a 5:30 p.m. matchup with UC Colorado Springs.
Keric Seegmiller is Assistant Coordinator of Media Relations at Dixie State University and the Voice of Trailblazer Athletics. Contact him at keric.seegmiller@dixie.edu.