It’s not very often softball players and fans witness the Dixie State University softball team exceeding the run-rule to end a series sweep to Azusa Pacific University.
The Storm took control of the last game of the Azusa series to prove the point the team is capable of anything.
“[We had] confidence in ourselves,” said senior outfielder Kylee Bufton, a communication major from Spanish Fork. “We just started putting it all together, and they couldn’t stop us after that.”
Dixie State fell behind in the first inning 3-1 and stayed down the entire game until the fifth inning.
Senior first baseman Anna Cue had a double that started a run that Azusa knew was impossible to stop. The Storm continued to hit triples, doubles and singles to run away with the 11-3 victory that left Azusa stunned.
“Any time you can put up 10 or 11 runs in the last inning, you’re in great shape,” head coach Randy Simkins said.
Simkins said he didn’t expect the team to pull out a win that big.
“We talked about putting up a crooked number at the end of the game,” he said. “I didn’t figure we’d get 10, maybe two, three or four to try and get ourselves back into it, but we had great at-bats.”
Simkins said the team had great success hitting against the pitcher and the women knew they could hit against her, they just needed to find the holes.
Earlier in the series, Cue struggled hitting against Azusa’s pitcher. Cue was up to bat, and the struggle returned as the pitcher returned to close out the game.
“I told her when [the pitcher] makes a mistake, hammer one,” Simkins said. “And she did.”
And that was just the beginning of many more.
“We were really excited,” Bufton said. “It’s hard to win four-straight [against] anybody, so it’s awesome. Now we’re just looking to play Grand Canyon, winning conference and maybe hosting for Regionals.”
The team took a 5-2 win Friday afternoon, a 9-0 win Friday evening, a 2-1 win Saturday, and finished strong with the 11-3 win Saturday afternoon.
The team needed to win all four games against Azusa to have the opportunity to host Regionals.
“We have to have a good two weeks of practice,” Bufton said. “We just need to play our game and make sure that we’re error free and just hitting the ball like we have been.”
The Storm face Grand Canyon University May 3 at 3 and 5 p.m. at Karl Brooks Field.
