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Show 4 Lady Red Storm sweep BY RICHARD BRIGGS Dixie Sun Staff Writer If the playoffs were to start today the Red Storm would be in as a No. 7 seed in the West Region, but Dixie State College has one more goal with eight games remaining win the Pacific West Conference. 17-DSC (23-1swept Notre Dame de Namur University on Wednesday and Thursday, and Hawaii Pacific University (37-- 22-4- ) split with the University of Hawaii-HilThe Red Storm have to sweep Academy ofArt University and Dominican University this weekend, and HPU has to lose two games to Chami-nad- e University, but its still 5) 1, o. mathematically possible. To win the conference would give DSC an auton matic bid into the tournament rather than waiting on the rankings and the selection committee. "Our short-tergoal is to get better every day," head coach Randy Simkins said. "Our long-tergoal is to win the conference and then go to nationals." Simkins saidlie had mixed feelings about the series between Hilo and HPU. Having Hilo beat HPU twice helped DSC in the conference standings but may end up hutting DSC in the West maim baseman Beth Pearson was on second base as a pinch runner as she was called out on a tag trying to retreat to second. Simkins appealed to the umpires to have the call reversed. After some discussion by the three umpires Pearson was ruled safe as NDNU second base-ma- n Jessica Long bobbled the ball as she tagged Pear- son. Junior outfielder Cassi Merrill stepped up to the plate to take advantage of the Red Storms second chance. Merrill wasted no time as she blasted a two-ru- n home run on the first pitch from NDNU pitcher Sammy McConvey to give DSC a 4 lead. 6, 5-- post-seaso- g m m Sophomore pitcher Lauren Folta, a business major from Erda, winds up for the pitch against Notre Dame de Namur University last week. The Red Storm take a six game winning streak into their games against Dominican University this week. helped thanks to an appeal by Simkins in game one against NDNU. There was one out in the bottom 6f the sixth inning with DSC trailing 4-- Sophomore outfielder Katlyn Nelson hit a line drive to the NDNU shortstop for the second out. Freshman second 3. L APRIL 2fi WEDNESDAY, DIXIE SUN -- Sophomore pitcher Lauren Folta, a business major from Erda, said she felt extremely relieved when Merrill hit the home run. "I was really stressed out in that game so it felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest," she said. Senior second baseman Shantae Hunter singled to left to score sophomore outfielder Bailie Hicken for an insurance run later in the inning. Folta finished the complete game in the top of the seventh for a 4 win. The Red Storm jumped ahead early in game two with a 4-- 1 lead, but NDNU fought back: to tie the game 6-- H at four. DSC was forced to1 rally in the bottom of the sixth inning just like it did in the first game as the Re Storm scored two runs to get another 4 win. DSC won by larger mar.' gins on Sunday with 3.4 son and 1 wins. The first the fift. game featured a 1 ove inning by DSC. Junior the; catcher Breanna Egge ope sparked the offense going five three for four with three RBIs. The nine runs in strc game two were sparked bj wit! freshman first baseman Car Anna Cue and Hicken. thir Cue went three for three He: with an RBI, and Hicken saic went three for four with an an RBI. var The Red Storm head to not California to close out the conference schedule again; Dominican and AAU. Dominican hosts DSC on 6-- 1 9-- Wednesday and Thursday with doubleheaders on eacl day. AAU hosts DSC on Saturday and Sunday with two more doubleheaders. "We need to hold serve California," Simkins said "It's all about who's playing well at the right time." Folta said people don't take Academy of Art seriously enough. "They beat HPU, they beat Grand Canyon," Folia said. "We need to play on game and not take them lightly." Baseball team loses 2 of Tennis team concludes its last 3 games in Hawaii season No. 4 in PacWest BY TYLER ROBERTS Dixie Sun Sports Editor The Dixie State College baseball team managed to win one out of the remaining three games in Hawaii, going a dismal 7 in the islands. The Red Storm (26-116-1faced the University Vulcans of Hawaii-Hil- o (15-2on April 13 for a doubleheader and on g April 14 for a contest. The Red Storm tried to Salvage the Hawaii road trip after losing five of their last seven games. The Red Storm turned to senior pitcher Preston Grimes to stop the bleeding. He responded by throwing 6 23 innings, allowing four hits, three runs, walking seven and striking out six. DSCs offense woke up behind senior Brett Adams, who went two for three with two RBIs and one run scored. Freshman infielder Quinn Boyer and senior infielder Aaron Friend each went two for four with one RBI 3-- 6, 2) 0, 10-1- 4) nine-innin- ce respectively. Adams, a communication major from Sandy, said he didn't think the team played that badly, it just couldn't put it all together in Hawaii. "Playing in Hawaii really changes our game," Adams said. "The ball doesn't fly as well out there as it does here and we really rely on the long ball as a big part of our game. Fly balls which would normally be out of the park at home were routine fly ball-ou- ts in Hawaii." The Red Storm out-h- it the Vulcans 11-scoring two runs in the first, three in the third, one in the fourth and two in the final inning to get the win Grimes received the win, improving his record to 4 as a starter. Junior designated hitter Rhett Welsh, an integrated studies major from Arvada, Colo., said the team was just not ready for these everything just didnt go our way. n Junior pitcher Justin was who the Red Storm turned to for a doubleheader sweep in game two. He went the distance allowing six hits and five runs, walking two and striking out five. Unfortunately Prodan was outdu-ele- d by junior Vulcan pitcher Kekoa Lee. Lee went the distance as well, allowing four hits and one run while walking three and striking out 1 1 in the 1 defeat of the Red Pro-da- 5-- Storm. 4, 8-- 3. games. The whole weekend went the same and the combination of everything wore us out, Welsh said. It was some errors and S g 1 Boyer went two for two for DSC in a losing effort and had the lone RBI. The loss dropped Prodan to 4 as a starter. The last road game in Hawaii looked to be the Red Storms second win against the Vulcans as it went into the bottom of the ninth inning with a 4-- 1 lead. Senior closer Todd Morlock gave up a single and a pair of walks to set up the situation. The Vulcans Lee came up to bat and hit a Morlock slider over the fence for a walk-of- f grand slam and ended the game. Adams said the walk-of- f grand slam really summed up their road trip. "That home run was what our luck was like throughout the entire road trip," Adams said. "We lost four games by one run. We just played a very good Hawaii Pacific team and a team. I good Flawaii-Hil- o don't think we really played that bad, just lost some really close games." DSC will play the last four home games this sea- son against Grand Canyon 6-- 5-- unior Rhett Welsh, an integrated studies major from Arvada, Colo., bats against California Baptist University. Odds were not in the Red Storms favor as they return from Hawaii losing seven of 0 games. BYDEVELON ISOM Dixie Sun Staff Writer University (26-2on Friday and Saturday at Bruce Hurst Field. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m. 0, 16-1- 2) The Red Storm tennis in the team went PacWest Conference tournament last weekend and concluded its best season ever. The Lady Storm arrived in Glendale, Ariz., Thursday as the No. 49 Division II national ranked team and went right to work by defeating No. 46 Grand Canyon Uni1- -2 versity Starting tournament play with a win against a top 50 team was an exciting way to begin the three-da- y event. Head coach Eric Pelton and the team had a mindset to start the tournament with a bang. They did. They were excited to go at them again, Pelton said. They all came out and played some of the best tennis we have this season." Even though the Antelopes of GCU were a higher ranked team, the Storm had already earned a victory against them earlier this season. It was huge that we had the experience of beating Grand Canyon this season, Pelton said. I could see that the girls had an extra confidence about themselves. The Red Storm got victories from No. 3 singles Ashley Lafeen, No. 5 singles Courtney Kezerian, and No. 6 singles Lauren Tarver. Lafeen and Lydia Hays, the No. 2 doubles tandem, and No. 3 doubles Tarver and Adrienne Davis pitched in victories also. In the second match of the tourrjpment, the Storm drew PacWest power and No. 1 West Region i. The Seasiders blew away the competition this season finishing with a record of 28-Pelton prepped his players minds with talk of not worrying about who the opponent was. 5-- 4. BYU-Hawai- 0. Sophomore Shandra Perry, a general education major from South Jordan, returns the ball in practice. The Red Storm tennis team finished the season last week at the PacWest Conference tournament Glendale, Ariz., with an overall season record of in 1. I told the girls to approach the match like any other, Pelton said. BYU-Hawa- ii is definitely a good team and a strong team. We just need to go out and focus on the things you know you can do. The Seasiders were just too good though. They beat the Red Storm The loss set up a Saturday showdown between the Storm and No. 42 Chaminade University for third place in the PacWest. The Silverswords of Chaminade beat the Red Storm Even with the loss, Pelton said the Red Storm will likely stay among the top 50 in the nation and may even move up because of the win against ranked Grand Canyon. The International Tennis Rankings will release its updated ranks Tuesday. Tarver, a junior integrated studies major from Wright-wooCalif., went 1 in the tournament and 14-- 5 for the season mostly playing the No. 6 singles position. She said the season was success-fi- ll and enjoyable. Tarver also said playing a collegiate sport while earning an edu- 5-- 0. 5-- 2. d, 2-- cation is something she re- lishes. It was exciting to win some matches this season and be good, Tarver said. It was just a lot of fun. like having something in & dition to the school work focus on. The Red Storm only lose one senior and will look to build on the great strides they made this season. Senior Lafeen played her last match for Dixie State College, and sophomore Ha) an accounting major fro Salt Lake City, said the teat appreciates her leadership ot Hays said the realization the finality was evident from Lafeen s behavioral the final match. She had a tough time after the singles match icl ni tra tin He ler foi Sp b& ended, Hays said. She been a great captain and " be missed a lot. Without he this team would not have had the success we had thS season. the The Red Storm ended season with an overall record of 1 l,and a o1 PacWest record of ing them the fourth place team. 8-- 6-- 5, D; Ofi ag SF fa |