ST. GEORGE, Utah. – Senior Kailyn Campbell hit three homeruns Friday, including two in the same inning, helping the Wildcats to a split in day two at the Dixie State Easton Classic and improving to 6-3 on the season.
 
The Wildcats used an 11-run sixth inning in the opener to defeat Western New Mexico 11-5 after falling behind by five runs.  In the second game, the Wildcats fell behind 0-4 to St. Edward's, and again CWU used the sixth inning to do all of its scoring, unfortunately the Wildcats scored just three runs, falling to Hilltoppers 3-4.
 
"Both games, especially the first, we had to come from behind and it is nice to see that our team has that fight in them," CWU Head Coach Mike Larabee said.  "But, we are playing to the level of our competition and we need to step it up a bit. We need to be the aggressor and play at a high level." 
 
Campbell went 4 for 8 on the day, driving in three six runs and scoring three.  Campbell is now batting .455 on the season with four homeruns and 10 RBI.
 
In the opener against Western N.M., the Wildcats were held hitless through four innings and fell behind 0-5 heading into the sixth inning.  In the sixth, the Wildcats earned 14 at bats, collecting nine hits and 11 runs.  Campbell hit a two-run homerun to leftfield in her first at bat of the innings, and found the leftfield bleachers again for a three-run shot.  In total, seven different players had a hit in the inning with Campbell and Celine Fowler each earning two.
 
Kayla Smith (2-2) picked up the victory for the Wildcats pitching the final three innings of the game, allowing just two hits while striking out two batters.
 
Smith also earned the loss in the nightcap, starting the game in the circle and hurling three innings allowing just one earned run.  Unfortunately, the Hilltoppers took advantage of a few CWU errors, scoring two of their four runs off Wildcat miscues.
 
Central again used the sixth inning to make its comeback when Campbell led off with a solo homerun.  Savannah Egbert later scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on a single.  The Wildcats had the tying run on second base with two outs, but could not keep the inning alive, falling to St. Edward's 3 to 4.
 
"We can't rely on turning it on when we need to, today showed that it can come back to haunt us," Larabee said.  "Sometimes we are going through the motions until we reach the point of urgency.  I challenged them to come out against a good Hilo team tomorrow and take it to them and sustain that energy and fight for the entirety of the game."
 
The Wildcats wrap up its trip to St. George tomorrow against Hawaii Hilo at 11:30 a.m. PST.