ST. GEORGE, Utah – Sydney Brown launched a pair of homeruns in game one, propelling the Wildcats to a 5-2 victory over Dixie State (1-1, 0-0 RMAC) before the Central Washington University softball team (4-3, 0-0 GNAC) fell in game two, 13-5.

"First game Sam [Womack] and Taylor [Williams] were a solid combo," CWU Head Coach Alison Mitchell said.  "Sam was on and dealing which had their hitters guessing.  We are getting better at the plate each game and all the hitters are doing a better job working to contact with their weight.  Syd [Brown] did a phenomenal job of this all game [one] and I thought Julia [Reuble] did a great job of that in the second game as well.  Maddy [Zerr] is turning a corner with her approach to the plate as well.  Lexie [Strasser] did a great job keeping her composure while our defense struggled behind her [in game two].  She did everything she could to continue to give us a chance, but we just weren't fully behind her.  Izzy [Womack] came in and threw the best I've seen this trip."
 
Brown launched a solo homerun in the top of the third inning.  She then went deep again in the fifth inning with a two-run shot.  She finished 3-for-4 with a pair of round trippers and four runs batted in.
 
Samantha Stanfield got the call to open the doubleheader in the circle for the Wildcats.  She went 4.1 innings and allowed two earned runs, three hits, six walks, and struck out one hitter.
 
The Wildcats put their first three batters of the game on-base.  Harlee Carpenter drew a seven-pitch walk to lead-off, before Alyssa Benthagen singled through the left side to put runners on first and second.  A four-pitch walk to Maddy Zerr loaded the bases.  Following a strikeout, Gracee Dwyer wore a 3-2 pitch, forcing home Carpenter for the game's first run.  Brown stepped up with the bases loaded and took the first pitch she saw into left field, driving home Benthagen.  Dixie State scratched one run across in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly, cutting the 'Cats lead to 2-1.
 
Brown strode back up to the plate in the top of the third inning with one away.  After falling into an 0-2 hole, she clobbered the third pitch of the at-bat over the left field fence for her first homerun of the season and a 3-1 lead.
 
Leading off the top of the fifth, Dwyer earned her second hit by pitch of the contest.  Brown wasted no time, taking the first offering from Cambrie Hazel over the left field wall for a second time and extended Central Washington's lead to 5-1. 
 
Stanfield was lifted with one out in the bottom of the fifth, after allowing an RBI-single.  Taylor Williams took over with runners on the corners.  She got a comebacker to the circle and a flyout to right, preserving the lead and escaping any extra damage.  Williams kept Dixie State off the board in the sixth and seventh, to hold the 5-2 lead.
 
Lexie Strasser (0-1) took to the circle in the back half of the doubleheader.  Central Washington put up a pair of runs in the opening frame, taking a 2-0 lead before Strasser toed the rubber.  Keegan Wise led off the game with a 10-pitch walk, fouling off four pitches with two strikes to earn the free pass.  A fielder's choice advanced Wise to second with nobody out, as Teresa Moyle reached first on the play.  Zerr laced a 1-0 single back up the middle, allowing Wise to score from second.  Julie Reuble roped a sacrifice line drive into right field, bringing in Moyle from third. 
 
In the bottom of the frame, the Trailblazers put up a snowman for an 8-2 lead.  The first two batters of the inning reached on a single, then an error. The bases become loaded on a walk, after a four-pitch looking strikeout.  A single back up the middle brought around Dixie State's first run.  The next batter lifted a 2-0 offering to right center for a double, plating two. 
 
With a runner on second and one out, the Trailblazers packed the bases full again by earning a walk and the second defensive miscue of the inning for the Wildcats.  The 2-1 offering was laced down the left field, scoring a pair to give Dixie a 6-2 lead.  A third error allowed the next batter to reach and load the bases again.  Another single scored two runs, before Moyle ended the inning by throwing out a would-be base stealer.
 
Mikayla Kopacz reached on a one-out walk in the top of the second inning.  Following an error, which allowed Adriana Lomeli-Smith to reach and moved Kopacz to second, Wise drew a walk to load the bases.  After a strikeout, Zerr drew a five-pitch walk to force in Kopacz from third.
 
The Trailblazers' offense went back to work in the bottom of the third inning.  A lead-off double, followed by a hit by pitch, put a pair of runners onboard.  They were brought around by a one-out triple.  A sacrifice fly from Brenna Cornwall made it 11-3.  The fifth inning sailed by without either team crossing the plate.
 
Central Washington scratched across a pair of runs in the fifth inning.  A double from Reuble with one out put a runner in scoring position for the 'Cats.  A bunt single from Ally Thiessen moved pinch runner Paige Liikala over to third.  Liikala scored on a sacrifice fly by Myiah Seaton.  With Thiessen on second, Benthagen pinch hit and reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, allowing Thiessen to score from third.  A fly out put an abrupt end to the Wildcats' comeback at 11-5.  Dixie State scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to come away with the five-inning victory, 13-5.
 
The Wildcats are back in action on Thursday (Feb. 6) as they begin the Dixie State Tournament.  Central will play Hawaii Hilo and Colorado Mesa on Thursday, before taking on St. Mary's and MSU Denver on Friday.  A matchup with Western New Mexico closes out the final game of the Dixie State Tournament.