ST. GEORGE, Utah – Dixie State first baseman Kori Gahn hit a two-out, grand slam in the top of the 9th inning to lift the No. 17 nationally-ranked Trailblazers to a 10-7 victory over Western Washington Saturday afternoon in the final game of the Courtyard Classic at Canyon Softball Complex.
WWU scored five runs in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings combined to push the game into extra frames, but couldn’t hold off the Trailblazers with the international tie breaker rule in effect (runner placed at second base at the start of the inning).
Each team scored a run in the 8th inning, and with the bases loaded in the top of the 9th, Gahn cleared the bases with her second home run of the season. WWU strung together three hits in the bottom of the 9th to bring the potential tying run to the plate, but the game ended when Emily Benson was thrown out trying to score from second base. Benson tabbed a run-scoring single earlier in the inning to cut the deficit to 10-7 as part of a 2-hit, 3-RBI game.
WWU finished the Dixie State Courtyard Classic with a 3-2 record and are 4-4 through the first two non-conference tournaments of the season. All four of WWU’s losses are against ranked opponents, including No. 7 Chico State, No. 10 Concordia Irvine, No. 17 Dixie State and No. 21 Colorado Mesa. Dixie State, which has recorded back-to-back 42-win seasons, improved to 4-1 on the season.
The Vikings out-hit the Trailblazers 10-9 and were led by multi-hit games by Benson (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) and Paityn Cyr (2-for-4, BB). Makinlee Sellevold added her first home run of the season.
After both teams were held scoreless in their first two at-bats, the Trailblazers struck first in the top of the 3rd inning with three two-out runs. Mikaela Thomson plated a pair of runs on a triple to left field and Malory Eldredge reached on a fielding error to stake Dixie State to the 3-0 lead.
The Vikings cut into the deficit in the bottom of the 4th inning when Benson hit a 2-run home run down the left field line.
Dixie State extended its lead to 5-2 on a 2-run home run by catcher Jessica Gonzalez in the top of the 6th inning.
WWU again had an answer for Dixie’s scoring with a home run, this time with Sellevold connecting on a 2-out, 2-run homer to left-center field to bring the Vikings to within one run at 5-4.
Western tied the game in the bottom of the 6th inning when Lauren Lo brought home a run on a two-out single up the middle to score Brooke Fesenbek.
Sellevold (4-4) was saddled with the loss allowing 7 earned runs in the 9.0 inning complete game. The senior has pitched in all eight games this season (7 starts) and has a 3.07 ERA (18 ER, 41.0 IP) with four complete games.
Dixie State relief pitcher Carissa Burgess (3-0) earned the win allowing 4 hits and 2 runs (both unearned in 3.2 innings) Starter Cambrie Hazel, the third All-American pitcher the Vikings have faced this season, recorded a no-decision allowing 6 hits and 5 runs in 5.1 innings.