After routing Brigham Young University-Hawaii in four straight contests, Dixie State softball finished off their spring break trip to the Aloha State in impressive fashion.
The Storm downed the Seasiders 8-0,8-2, 9-2, and closed them out with a dominant 13-0 performance. Following the strong outing, DSU matched up with University of Hawaii at Hilo. Hilo came into the game boasting a 12-7 record, and Dixie was looking to keep its winning-streak going.
Senior pitcher Michelle Duncan continued her incredible play with a 2-0 shutout of Hilo, throwing a no-hitter through five innings and not allowing a single run.
Junior Aryn Feickert took the circle in the second game of the double-header and followed Duncan’s lead. Another 2-0 shutout resulted in Feickert’s third straight complete game.
Next was a double header against Chaminade, a team with only three wins on the season. The Silverswords entered the Wednesday matchup at 3-13, and that would not get any better against the streaking Storm.
Sophomore first baseman Brooklyn Beardshear dominated the day, going 5-7 from the plate. Beardshear compiled eight RBIs on the day and smacked a grand-slam in the second game.
Duncan and Feickert both picked up wins, 7-1 and 12-0, respectively. Duncan gives all credit to her teammates.
“We are playing so well because we are playing as a team,” Duncan said. “We are pushing each other everyday to be the best we can be.”
Next, the Storm would finish off its trip in a four-game series with Hawaii Pacific University. Once again, Dixie would lean on the pitching of Michelle Duncan as the bats were not connecting. The Storm had just six hits and two runs in the game, but that would prove to be just enough as Duncan struck out 10 straight batters and DSU came away with the 2-1 win.
The second game would start off with a bang. Senior catcher Marla Reiter smashed a solo homer in the second and Feickert pitched a solid game and came away with yet another win, 6-4.
Looking for a clean sweep of the Hawaii trip, DSU faced off with HPU for a double-header again on Saturday. Duncan and Feickert paired up again to get two wins to close out the road swing. Duncan moved to 14-0 with the win in game one and Feickert picked up her tenth victory.
Beardshear hit another homerun in the final game on the islands, her fourth on the trip including two grand-slams.
With their 19th consecutive win, DSU improved to 24-5 overall and is still unbeaten in conference play.
“Going 12-0 on the islands is so impressive,” head coach Randy Simkins said. “To finish the trip without dropping a game is a credit to these girls.”
The Storm will return home on to take on Academy of Art in a four-game series starting on Friday at 3 p.m. at Karl Brooks Field.
